Snapper Escovitch
A Caribbean favorite, this light, tender and flaky fish is made with whole snapper, but you can also use fillets for ease. This recipe has a mellow spice to let the flavor of the fish shine through, but it’s open to adaptation: Feel free to add a little more hot pepper or allspice, if you like, for more intensity. If you’re in a hurry or low on spices, you can substitute Old Bay, jerk or Cajun seasoning blends for the spice mix in Step 1. Then, turn it into a sandwich (see Tip), paired with sweet plantain fries, or eat it as a light meal on its own.
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 2teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 1teaspoon garlic powder
- ½teaspoon ground ginger
- 1teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1teaspoon black pepper
- ½cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- 4(6-ounce) skin-on snapper fillets or 2 pounds whole red snapper
- 1dry bay leaf
- ½teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 3small bell peppers (red, yellow, green or one of each), thinly sliced
- 1medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1medium carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1Scotch bonnet chile, pierced
- 1tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1teaspoon allspice berries or pickling spice
- 4garlic cloves, minced
- ¾cup red wine vinegar
Instructions
Step 1
Mix together 1 teaspoon thyme leaves, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper. Season the fish with the mixture.Step 2
In a large skillet over medium, heat oil until really hot but not smoking, about 3 to 5 minutes, and add the fish flesh-side down. Cook until the flesh gets a little color, about 5 minutes. Flip, then continue cooking until the skin is crisp. Remove fish and set aside on a serving platter. Drain oil, leaving about 2 to 3 tablespoons in the skillet.Step 3
Return the skillet to the stove. Add the bay leaf and fresh ginger, and sauté over medium heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.Step 4
Add bell peppers, onion, carrots, Scotch bonnet chile, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, allspice and the remaining thyme leaves, and continue cooking, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.Step 5
Add vinegar, and stir to combine all the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables soften but still retain bite, and spoon over fish. (Leave the allspice berries or pickling spice in the topping. Simply eat around them.)