Jamaican Escovitch Fish Salad

About This Recipe

Escovitch fish takes fried whole fish and tops it with escovitch, a vinegar-pickled mix of carrot, bell pepper, onion and scotch bonnet, the sharp, spicy topping cutting directly through the fish's crispy fried exterior. The technique of quickly pickling the vegetables in hot vinegar, rather than a long ferment, keeps them crisp and vibrant while still delivering real acidity and heat, ready to spoon over the fish within minutes. A staple at Jamaican beaches and fish fries, escovitch fish is meant to be eaten with your hands, the crispy fish and tangy, spicy topping together forming one of the island's most distinctive seafood preparations.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4whole small fish (snapper or similar)(cleaned)
• 1 tspsalt(for fish)
• 1/2 cupall-purpose flour(for dredging)
• 1 cupvegetable oil(for frying)
• 1carrot(julienned)
• 1red bell pepper(sliced)
• 1onion(sliced)
• 1scotch bonnet pepper(sliced)
• 1 cupwhite vinegar
• 1/4 cupwater
• 1 tbspsugar
• 1 tspsalt(for escovitch)
• 1 tspallspice berries

Instructions

1. 1

   Season and dredge the fish

   Season the fish with salt, then dredge lightly in flour, shaking off excess.

2. 2

   Fry the fish

   Heat oil in a large skillet and fry the fish, 5-6 minutes per side, until deeply golden and crisp; drain.

3. 3

   Make the escovitch

   Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and allspice berries in a saucepan; bring to a boil.

4. 4

   Add vegetables

   Add carrot, bell pepper, onion and scotch bonnet, simmering just 2-3 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.

   Simmer the vegetables only briefly — they should stay crisp and vibrant, more quickly pickled than fully cooked down.

5. 5

   Pour over the fish

   Spoon the hot vegetables and pickling liquid generously over the fried fish.

6. 6

   Rest and serve

   Let sit at least 15 minutes before serving, either warm or at room temperature.

Variations

• •

  Using fish fillets instead of whole fish is a quicker, though less traditional, alternative.

• •

  A milder version reduces the scotch bonnet or removes the seeds.

• •

  Serving with fried festival (sweet cornmeal dumplings) is a classic beachside pairing.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; escovitch fish is often served cold or at room temperature, and the flavor deepens as it sits.

Frequently Asked Questions