Escovitch Snapper Recipes

JAMAICAN FRIED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Pat the fish dry and cut 3 small slits on each side of the fish. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 quart oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Carefully place the fish in the pan and fry until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes per side. Remove fish and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
• Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir onion, garlic and carrot into the pan; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add thyme, allspice, habanero pepper, vinegar, water, salt, and sugar and continue cooking until onions have softened and liquid has reduced, about 5 minutes.
• Serve fish topped with onion mixture spooned over the top.

ISLAND FRYDAYS SPICY ESCOVITCH RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Sprinkle the snapper all over with the fish seasoning. Combine the pimento seeds, peppers, carrots and onions in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and transfer to a bowl.
• Fill a deep fryer with oil and set on 350 degrees F or coat a frying pan with oil and heat over high heat. Deep-fry the fish until golden, 5 to 8 minutes, or pan-fry until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
• Dunk the fish in the sauce reserved in the bowl, then transfer the fish to a serving platter and decorate with the vegetables.

JAMAICAN ESCOVITCH FRIED RED SNAPPER

Steps:

• Rinse and clean fish with juice from the lemon. Pat dry. Cut 3 diagonal lines across the sides of each fish.
• Mix spices sea salt, cracked black pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, celery powder, and cumin in a small bowl.
• Season the outside and inside cavity of the fish with the spice mix.
• Fill a large frying pan with oil, about ½ inch deep, to high heat.
• Season the oil by adding 6-8 pimento seeds and ½ of the scotch bonnet pepper (or a whole pepper for a more intense heat) into the oil. The scotch bonnet pepper will eventually turn black as it cooks. That's ok!
• Place fish in the frying pan away from you. Adjust the heat between medium and high to avoid the fish being burned.
• Fry for 5-6 minutes on each side. The fish should be slightly brown to blackened.
• Remove fish from frying pan and allow to drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Allow the oil to cool and strain, reserving ½ cup of oil. Discard remaining oil.
• In a large saucepan, warm reserved oil to medium heat. Add fresh oil if needed.
• Add onions, remaining allspice seeds, red pepper, green pepper, carrot, and remaining scotch bonnet pepper to lightly saute.
• Saute for about 5 minutes, you want the vegetables to keep their body and crunch.
• Add the rice vinegar, and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Place onions and pepper sauce over the fish.
• Serve with Jamaican Rice and Peas.

ESCOVITCH FISH

Steps:

• Make the fish: Set the fish on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Rub the cut lime all over the fish. Let the fish drain on the paper towels, then pat thoroughly dry.
• In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and ground allspice, if using. Take two-thirds of this seasoning and rub it all over the fish. If using thicker fillets, cut small slits on both sides and rub the seasoning into the slits. In a shallow dish, mix the remaining seasoning with the flour for dusting the fish later.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 1/2 inch of oil, just enough to fry one side of the fish at a time. (The fish should not be submerged in oil.) Add the garlic to the skillet, along with the chiles and whole allspice berries, if using.
• Lightly coat the fish on both sides with the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess. When the oil is hot, carefully lay the fish in the pan skin side down, making sure to leave space between the fillets and working in batches if needed. Let cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn the fish over and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the skin is crispy. The fish should be cooked only about 80 percent of the way through, as the residual heat will continue to cook it after it's removed from the pan.
• Set the cooked fish skin side up in a large rimmed dish that can fit all the fish without any overlap. Keep the dish close to the stove.
• Make the topping: Pour all the oil and solids in the skillet into a bowl or measuring cup. Add 1 tablespoon of that oil to the skillet (discard the rest) and heat over medium-low. Add the onion, carrot, chayote, Scotch bonnets and allspice berries, if using. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes. Don't let the vegetables get too soft; they should still have a little bite to them.
• Raise the heat to high, and add the vinegar and chopped raisins, if using. Working quickly before the vinegar reduces completely, swirl the pan to tumble together the ingredients and then carefully pour the hot bubbling mixture evenly over the fish. It should not swamp the fish, but reach only about a quarter of the way up the sides. Immediately and tightly cover the dish with foil.
• Leave the dish on the counter out of direct sunlight for at least an hour or up to 12 hours, so the fish has time to absorb all the flavors. (It gets better the longer it sits.) Do not refrigerate before serving: The fish is meant to be eaten at room temperature. Serve with the bread for mopping up the sauce. Leftovers may be refrigerated overnight and gently reheated in a pan over low heat to loosen the sauce.

RED SNAPPER ESCOVITCH

Steps:

• Slice pepper, onion and carrot into thin strips.
• Peel and finely mince ginger and garlic.
• Remove stem from cilantro and finely chop.
• Sprinkle fillets with seafood seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saute pan, at medium heat setting.
• place fish in pan and cook for about 4 minutes.
• Turn fillets over and place in center of pan.
• Add lime juice and remaining butter.
• Place garlic, ginger, carrot, onions, bell pepper and cilantro around fish.
• Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until fish is firm and white.
• Serve immediately with angel hair pasta or steamed rice.