Jamaica · Jamaican

Escovitch Fish

Name: Escovitch Fish
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Jamaican
Ingredients: 2 Whole snapper; 200 ml White vinegar; 1 Carrot, julienned; 1 Onion, sliced; 1 Scotch bonnet, sliced; 8 Pimento berries

Whole fried snapper drenched in a hot vinegar dressing of carrot, onion and pepper.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 55 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Intermediate
Course: Main course

Ingredients

4 servings

Whole snapper2
White vinegar200 ml
Carrot, julienned1
Onion, sliced1
Scotch bonnet, sliced1
Pimento berries8

Preparation

1
Score and season the fish, then fry until crisp on both sides.
2
Simmer vinegar with vegetables, pepper and pimento for 5 minutes.
3
Pour the hot dressing over the fish and let it sit 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Nutrition per serving · Calculated

calories: 362 kcal
protein: 40 g
carbs: 10 g
fat: 17 g
fiber: 1.6 g
sugars: 5 g
sodium: 640 mg

The ingredient behind this recipe

Scotch Bonnet

Caribbean Pantry

The soul of Caribbean heat: a lantern-shaped pepper whose perfume matters as much as its fire.

Origin: Amazon basin, carried through the Antilles by Arawak and Taíno peoples
Flavour: Fruity, apricot-like sweetness followed by a slow, blooming heat
Calories / 100g: 40 kcal
Seasonality: Year-round, peak July to November

The story behind this ingredient

Named for its resemblance to a Tam o' Shanter bonnet, the Scotch bonnet travelled from the Amazon basin through the Antilles long before Columbus. It became the signature of Jamaican jerk pits, Haitian pikliz jars and Trinidadian pepper sauces — a pepper used less for punishment than for perfume, always paired with allspice, thyme and citrus.

Discover this ingredient Explore the full ingredient story

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