Snapper Escabèche Recipes

ESCABECHE (SWEET AND SOUR FISH)

Steps:

• Clean the fish and slit it open. Let it stand for few minutes and drain well.
• Sprinkle fish with 1 tbsp salt.
• In a medium skillet, heat the oil and fry the fish until brown. Remove the fish from the pan and set aside.
• In the same skillet, sauté the garlic until light brown, then sauté onion.
• Add salt and white pepper. Stir in ginger, scallions, carrot and red bell pepper.
• Add soy sauce, vinegar, water and sugar. Salt and pepper to taste.
• When the mixture boils, add flour to thicken. Then, add the fish.
• Cover the skillet and simmer for 5 minutes.

RED SNAPPER ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Season both sides of fillets with salt and pepper, and cut in half lengthwise. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Add half the fish in one uncrowded layer. Cook for 2 1/2 minutes on each side, or until fish is crisp and brown around the edges but not cooked through. Transfer to a plate to cool. Heat another tablespoon oil, and repeat with remaining fillets.
• Add remaining tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and cook garlic over medium heat until it just begins to color. Add shallots and bay leaves, and cook until shallots are transparent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add peppers, and cook until slightly limp, 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Add vinegar and wine, and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, and simmer for a minute or two. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, peppercorns, cloves, and salt, and remove from heat.
• Place one layer of fish in the bottom of a large bowl, and spoon some of the marinade, shallots and peppers over it. Repeat until all are used up. Cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the string beans until bright green, but still crunchy, about 1 minute. Transfer beans to an ice bath to cool. Drain.
• Arrange greens and herbs on serving plate, and place fish with shallots and peppers on top. Remove cloves. Arrange beans loosely around fish. Drizzle some of the marinade over greens just before serving.

SNAPPER IN ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Sprinkle both sides of the fillets with salt and black pepper, and cut in half lengthwise. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat. Lightly saute the fish on both sides for about 1 minute, making sure not to cook throughout. Remove from the pan.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan, and cook the garlic over medium heat until it just begins to color. Add the shallots and bay leaves, and cook until the shallots are transparent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook until slightly limp, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and simmer for a minute or two. Add the extra-virgin olive oil, peppercorns, cloves and some salt and remove from the heat.
• Place one layer of fish in the bottom of a large bowl, and spoon some of the shallots, peppers and sauce over it as a marinade. Repeat with layers of the remaining fish, sauce and vegetables. Cover tightly, and refrigerate overnight before serving.

SNAPPER AND GROUPER ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Place lemon in a small bowl and microwave for a few minutes to release the essential oils. The lemon will be hot coming from the microwave, so set aside until it is just cool enough to handle. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium saute pan, and saute the red, yellow and green bell peppers. Add the red onion and the chili flakes and saute until they begin to soften. In a blender, puree stewed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and hot sauce. Leaving the blender running squeeze the lemon juice from the micro-waved lemon (after removing seeds) through the feed opening. Transfer this mixture to the pan of peppers and onion and cook over medium heat, allowing to reduce by half. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
• Heat the oil in the deep-fryer to 375 degrees F, or as directed in the manufacturer's instructions for similar foods. Combine flour, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder and dredge the snapper and grouper fillets in this mixture, shaking off any excess. Deep-fry the fish until golden brown, and remove to paper towels to drain.
• Arrange the fish along each side of a long platter and spoon the escabeche down the middle. Garnish with scallions.

CUBAN RED SNAPPER ESCABECHE

Steps:

• Cut fish fillets in half, and season with salt and pepper. Place the flour on a large plate. Dredge each fillet in the flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add half of the fillets; saute until opaque and golden brown on bottoms, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn over, and cook other sides until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fish to a deep glass or ceramic dish, in a single layer, and set aside. Wipe out skillet, add 2 more tablespoons oil; cook remaining fillets.
• Wipe out skillet, add the remaining 4 tablespoons oil, and place over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, garlic, peppercorns, chile pepper, and bay leaves. Cook 3 minutes, without browning vegetables. Add vinegar, 2 1/2 cups water, olives, and capers. Raise heat to high; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; pour mixture over fish, covering fish completely (if fish is not completely covered, add one part water to one part vinegar until covered). Let stand until cool. Cover; refrigerate at least 24 hours or up to 3 days.
• When ready to serve, let escabeche stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Divide the fish and vegetables among 12 plates; garnish with lime slices and cilantro, if desired.