Escovitch red snapper: A classic Jamaican dish that's packed with big flavours

Escovitch red snapper is a classic Jamaican dish that’s bursting with delicious and unique flavours. The fish is fried, then topped with a mix of thinly sliced, quick-pickled vegetables that are spicy, sour and slightly sweet. In Jamaica, it’s often eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner and served with bammy (cassava flatbread) or festival (fried dough).

Ingredients

Fish:

• 1½ lb whole red snapper, scaled and cleaned
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp Jamaican all-purpose seasoning
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 2 cups vegetable oil
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper

Pickled vegetables:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, julienned
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 6–8 allspice berries
• 1 medium carrot, julienned
• ½ red bell pepper, julienned
• ½ yellow bell pepper, julienned
• ½ green bell pepper, julienned
• 2 Scotch bonnet peppers, seeds removed and julienned
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¾ cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper

Preparation

 Rinse the red snapper under cold running water and rub it with fresh lime juice. 

Score the fish by making shallow diagonal cuts all the way down the body of the fish; this exposes the flesh to allow for more even seasoning and cooking. Season with all-purpose seasoning, salt and pepper, rubbing everything in to ensure it’s evenly distributed, then set aside.

To prepare the pickled vegetables, set a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Add the onion, garlic and allspice berries, and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the carrot, bell peppers and Scotch bonnets, and cook for 3 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the thyme, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper, then stir and bring it all to a simmer. Remove from heat.

To prepare the fish, set a large pan over medium heat and pour in the vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, gently add the Scotch bonnet pepper and thyme (be careful as the oil could splatter).

Carefully add the fish to the pan, laying it down away from you, and fry for 5 to 6 minutes. Using a pair of tongs and a metal spatula for maximum control, flip the fish away from you and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the fish to a plate and pat dry with paper towel.

To serve, place the fried snapper on a platter and cover it with the pickled vegetables and 2 tbsp of leftover pan drippings from the veggies. Enjoy!

Serves 2

Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.

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