Jamaican escovitch fish — crisp fried red snapper topped with a tangy, spicy pickle of onions, peppers and scotch bonnet in malt vinegar. Bright, bold and full of island flavour.
Escovitch fish is a Jamaican classic — whole snapper fried until crisp, then doused in a tangy, spicy pickled dressing of vinegar, onions, peppers and scotch bonnet. The vibrant, vinegary topping cuts through the rich fried fish beautifully, and the flavour only deepens if you make it ahead. It's a festive, sunshine-on-a-plate dish best served with bammy or festival.
Prep 20 min
Cook 25 min
Total 45 min
Medium
- 2 Pounds Red Snapper
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
- 1 clove peeled crushed Garlic
- 1/2 tsp Ginger
- 2 sprigs Thyme
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 0.5 Red Pepper
- 0.5 Yellow Pepper
- 1 sliced Onion
- 1 chopped Carrots
- 1 tbs Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Allspice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Scotch Bonnet
- 1 Lime
- 3/4 cup Malt Vinegar
- pinch Pepper
Tags:
Seafood Spicy Speciality EasterVideo
Preparation
- Rinse the fish, rub with lemon or lime, and season with salt and pepper (or your favourite seasoning). Set aside or keep warm in the oven while you make the sauce.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot, add the fish, and cook for about 5–7 minutes each side until cooked through and crispy on both sides. Remove and set aside, then drain off the oil, leaving about 2–3 tablespoons.
- Add the bay leaf, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about a minute, making sure the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add the onion, bell peppers, thyme, scotch bonnet, sugar and allspice and stir for 2–3 minutes. Add the vinegar, mix, and adjust the salt and pepper, then simmer for about 2 minutes more.
- Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs and serve the sauce over the fish, with bammy on the side. The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Fry the fish until properly crisp on both sides — that crunch holds up against the wet, tangy sauce.
- Cut the vegetables into thin, even slices so they keep a little bite in the quick-pickled dressing.
- Handle the scotch bonnet carefully and add it to taste; leave it whole for gentle heat or slice for more fire.
- Make the escovitch sauce a day or two ahead — the flavours meld and improve as it sits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Red snapper is traditional, but any firm whole fish like sea bream or tilapia works well. Fillets can be used too, with a shorter frying time.
It can be as mild or fiery as you like. Leaving the scotch bonnet whole gives flavour with mild heat; slicing or chopping it releases much more.
Yes — the sauce keeps for up to two days and actually tastes better made ahead. Fry the fish fresh and spoon the sauce over to serve.
Bammy (cassava flatbread), festival (sweet fried dumplings) or rice and peas are all classic Jamaican accompaniments.
