September 7, 2023

Jamaican Escovitch Fish Recipes: Fish prepared escovitch style is seasoned, fried and marinated with a peppery vinegar-based dressing made colourful with julienned bell peppers, carrots and onions. And, everyone knows this dish tastes better the next day. Even though it’s eaten year-round, no God fearing Jamaican would be without fried king fish or red snapper on Good Friday. For me it’s the highlight of the Easter holidays.

Ingredients

4 whole red snapper
Salt and pepper
1 cup cooking oil

Method

1. The day before, clean and scale fish. Season with salt and black pepper and refrigerate.
2. Set stove to High and add cooking oil to pan. Dry fish with paper towel and pan
fry for about 5 minutes each side.
3. Take fish out of pan and place on paper towel to drain oil

Escovitch Dressing

Ingredients

½ each, green and red bell pepper, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
1 small onion, sliced in rings
3 Tbsp cooking oil (you can use leftover oil from frying fish)
2/3 cup vinegar
10 pimento berries (optional)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
½ scotch bonnet pepper, seed removed and chopped

Method

1. Cut and chop vegetables and put aside.
2. Put vinegar and oil into a saucepan and bring to a boil
3. Add carrots and let simmer for about a minute
4. Add pimento seeds, if using, salt and pepper sauce
5. Add red and green bell peppers a simmer for a minute
6. Add onion and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the onion is transparent
7. Add scotch bonnet pepper and stir
8. Place fish into serving dish and spoon dressing on top

Serves 4

Video Lesson: Click below to watch us make this recipe step by step.

Not a Legacy Cooking Club member yet? This recipe is just one of many delicious family recipes with video cooking lessons available in the Legacy Cooking Club community. Click here to learn more about other member benefits.

I’ve been cooking Jamaican food for my family for more than 50 years! Now I'm teaching my daughter Angela and you how to cook my treasured family recipes! I'm happy to be of service and love hearing from you so don't forget to leave a comment below.

Fay

Comments are closed.