Jamaican Escovitch Fish

This classic Jamaican dish features a tart, spicy, and slightly sweet escovitch sauce to die for. Vegetables top a perfectly fried red snapper drenched with said sauce for a dish that will have you running back for seconds.

Course Main

Cuisine Caribbean

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 547kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

2 pounds (900g) whole red snappers, cleaned and scaled (about 2-3 fish—almost any white fish will work)
salt and pepper to taste (or seasoning of choice)
1 lime or lemon
½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil (more as needed)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
½ teaspoon ginger
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 sprigs thyme
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced (or replace with ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper)
½ teaspoon (1g) Jamaican allspice
1 tablespoon (12g) sugar
1 teaspoon (5ml) Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup (180ml) malt vinegar (can sub red wine vinegar)
freshly ground white pepper

Instructions

Rinse the fish and rub it down with a lemon or lime—season with salt, pepper, and preferred seasoning. I used Creole seasoning.
Heat oil on medium in a large skillet. As soon as it's hot, add the fish and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through and crispy.
Remove the fish. Set it aside or place it in the oven so it stays warm until the sauce is ready. Drain the oil, leaving 2-3 tablespoons behind for the vegetables.
Add the bay leaf, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry for about a minute, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.
Add the onion, bell peppers, carrots, thyme, scotch bonnet, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and allspice. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes.
Add the vinegar, mix, and adjust seasonings to your preference. Let it simmer for about 2 more minutes.
Discard the bay leaf and thyme before serving the sauce over the fish with a side of bammy.

Notes

Cover the fried fish with foil to keep it nice and toasty while you saute your veggies and make the sauce.
Don't add your fish to the frying pan until the oil is hot. Otherwise, it will take longer to cook and might be notably greasy when assembling the dish.
Taste test! As you make the sauce, give it a taste test. Adjust seasonings to fit your preferences. Not tangy enough? Add a tad more vinegar. Need a deeper flavor? Add a little bit more Worcestershire. Taste testing is the best way to know if your sauce lacks something or if it's right on point.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition