Jamaican Fish Escovitch – The Lemon Zest

This Jamaican Fish Escovitch recipe is hearty, flavorful and has a little kick. Traditionally, firm whitefish is made from red snapper and sautéed with peppers, carrots and onions.

Having a Jamaican business partner, it probably doesn’t surprise you that I’ve learned a lot about Caribbean cuisine over the course of my career. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out my other Jamaican recipes including Jerk Pork, Fish Tea (Soup), and Jamaican Rice and Peas. This time I’ve decided to tackle a seafood recipe I fell in love with during my visit to Jamaica earlier this year: Jamaican Fish Escovitch. Traditionally made with red snapper, you can use either a whole fish or individual fish fillets. Cooking the whole fish takes a little longer, so I decided to present you with a simpler version for the week with fish fillets.

Ingredients

• snapper: Ideally, you can get your hands on red snapper as it is traditionally used in this dish. If you can’t get red snapper, you can use whitefish.
• Jerk Seasoning: Depending on the brand, jerk seasoning may contain different ingredients, but typically it consists of cayenne, allspice, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, parsley, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
• Cayenne: A small amount is enough for a great heat boost.
• vegetable oil: I like to use vegetable oil when frying as it has a high smoke point.
• Carrot: Sweet and tender and full of healthy vitamins and nutrients.
• Onion: I used a white onion for its mild flavor that caramelizes and becomes slightly sweet to balance the spiciness in this dish.
• Paprika: Use all the colors of peppers you have! I use yellow, red or green peppers. They have a mild and sweet taste.
• Scottish bonnet: Very pungent so a small amount goes a long way, but they also have a surprisingly fruity undertone. You can also use habanero pepper or skip it if you want the dish to be milder.
• Thyme: Fresh sprigs of thyme give the sauce a wonderfully aromatic, woody taste.
• Jamaican Spice Blend: Jamaican allspice is extracted from a specific allspice berry and gives the dish an extra Caribbean flavor. But you can also use regular allspice.
• bay leaves: A wonderful flavorful ingredient whose sole purpose is to flavor the sauce and is then removed before consumption.
• rice vinegar: Gives the sauce a mild, spicy note.
• Sugar: Sweetens and helps balance the heat in this fish dish.

How to Make Jamaican Fish Escovitch

To make sure I got the recipe right, I invited Vince, the chef and owner of Irie Kitchen, a local Jamaican organic restaurant here in West Michigan, to join me in the kitchen.

One of the first tips I got from Vince is to carefully slice the fish about 3 or 4 times, being careful not to get all the way through. This allows the spice to penetrate the fish, resulting in a much more flavorful final dish. It also prevents the fish from curling up in the frying pan as it cooks.

Next, you want to generously season the fillets on both sides with a combination of jerk seasoning and your favorite all-purpose seasoning like seasoning salt. Then sear the fish in a hot pan and fry on both sides until golden brown before removing from the pan.

In the same pan, start cooking the carrots, peppers, and onions. For added zest, we add a range of aromatic spices including fresh thyme and Scotch Bonnet Pepper for a kick of spiciness.

Be sure to add salt and pepper in between to bring out the flavor throughout the dish.

For even more flavor, the vegetables are seasoned with vinegar and a pinch of sugar. Taste it little by little and don’t be afraid to add more vinegar or sugar if needed.

Before serving, return the fish to the pan to reheat. Season with a little salt and black pepper.

Then take your fish fillets, place them on a plate and top them with the delicious sautéed vegetables.

The end result is a hearty fish dish that’s sweet, tangy, and slightly hot. Perfectly balanced and full of flavor, serve and enjoy your Jamaican Fish Escovitch!

Frequently asked Questions:

More delicious seafood

Eat it, like it, share it!

Have you tried this fish and are you amazed? Next time you do it, take a picture and share it on your social networks! Tag @thelemonbowl and #thelemonbowl so we can admire and share your dish.

Before serving, I like to garnish it with some freshly chopped spring onions. It tastes great on its own or can be served with Jamaican rice and peas.

Your fork is waiting.