How To Cook Fish Escabeche Recipes

HOW TO COOK FISH ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Heat the oil and season the tilapia. Pour ½ cup (120 ml) of vegetable or canola oil into a large skillet and turn the heat on to medium-high heat. Clean 1 pound (453 g) of tilapia or lupa lupa and remove the bones and guts. Sprinkle the fish generously with salt and pepper.
• Fry the fish for 4 to 5 minutes. Slowly lower the fish into the hot oil. It should begin to bubble and crisp up as it cooks. Turn the fish over once or twice as it cooks, so both sides become golden brown. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the fish and pour out some of the oil. Turn off the heat and use a fish spatula or turner to lift the fried fish out of the skillet. Set the fish on a platter and set it aside. Pour out all but 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the oil from the skillet. You might want to pour the hot oil into an old can before you discard it. Avoid pouring hot oil directly into a trash can or down the sink.
• Cut the garlic, red onion, and ginger. Peel 4 cloves of garlic, 1 medium red onion, and 1-inch (2.5 cm) of fresh ginger. Use a sharp knife to mince the garlic, finely chop the onion, and slice the ginger into strips.
• Sauté the garlic, red onion, and ginger for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat on the skillet to medium and add the chopped aromatics to the skillet. Stir the mixture and sauté it for 3 to 4 minutes, so the onion softens a little.
• Julienne the bell peppers and carrot. Peel 1 carrot and use a sharp knife to cut it into long, narrow strips. Trim the stems off of 1 small red bell pepper and 1 small green bell pepper. Cut the peppers in half and rinse out the seeds. Slice each bell pepper into thin, narrow strips.
• Stir in and simmer the vegetables, tomato sauce, and soy sauce. Add the sliced bell peppers and carrots to the skillet along with a ½ cup (115 g) of tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of soy sauce. Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes.
• Pour in the water, vinegar, and brown sugar. Keep the heat on medium and pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of vinegar, 3 tablespoons (37 g) of brown sugar, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) of water. Do not stir these ingredients into the skillet until the liquids begin to boil.
• Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and add it to the sauce. Place 2 tablespoons (19 g) of cornstarch into a small prep bowl and pour in ½ cup (120 ml) of water. Stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. Whisk the dissolved cornstarch into the skillet.
• Simmer and season the sauce in the skillet. Whisk and simmer the sauce for 2 minutes, so the sauce thickens a little. Stir in a ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of cumin, ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) of ground black pepper, and ½ teaspoon (3 g) of salt. Turn the heat off the skillet. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings according to your taste. If it seems too acidic, add a little more water or another tablespoon (12.5 g) of brown sugar.
• Serve the fish escabeche. Place the crispy, fried fish on a serving platter. Spoon the hot sauce over the fish and serve it immediately. Consider serving the escabeche with steamed rice or warmed bread. You can store leftover escabeche in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

MOM'S FILIPINO ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Fish:
• Use a large frying pan and put enough oil to cover the bottom with about 1/4 inch.
• Pan fry the fish in the oil on medium heat. If you are using a fillet start with the flesh side down. You may need to score the skin of a whole fish in order to allow it to cook through.
• Once the fish is fully cooked set aside some of the cooking oil and arrange the fish on a serving plate.
• Sauce:
• Stir the water, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper/pepper corns together in a mixing bowl.
• The mixture should have a strong flavor of balanced sweet, sour, and salty. Add additional sugar, vinegar and/or soy sauce until you achieve this balance. Then set aside.
• Saute garlic in the reserved oil in a wok on medium-high heat until golden.
• Add onion and saute until it is also golden.
• Add ginger and saute until flavors blend.
• Add carrots, stir briefly then add liquid mixture.
• Mix sauce until flavors blend nicely.
• Simmer approximately 1 minute.
• Taste again and re-balance the flavors.
• Add bell pepper and corn starch mixture and stir together.
• Simmer until reduced to about a cup.
• Ladle the sauce over the fish and serve.

FILIPINO FISH ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pat tilapia dry with a paper towel. Cut 2 to 3 slits on either side of the fish. Sprinkle salt on top. Fry in the hot oil until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add red bell pepper and ginger; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Mix water, vinegar, and sugar together in a bowl. Pour into the onion mixture in the skillet. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add cornstarch. Boil, stirring often, until sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over the fish.

FISH ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Season the fish with your favorite seasonings and dredge in flour to lightly coat.
• In a large skillet, heat 2-3 tbsp of the oil over medium heat.
• Fry the fish in batches 'til golden on both sides and almost, but not quite, cooked through. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• In another skillet, heat 3 tbsp of oil over medium heat.
• Add the onions, garlic, peppers, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, salt.
• Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the onion mixture from the heat and add the vinegar. Stir to combine and let cool.
• Lay the fish (in one layer if possible) in a glass or glazed ceramic dish. Cover with lemons slices and olives.
• Pour the cooled mixture over the fish, cover tightly, and refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours. Eat cold.