Food Feature: Preparing Escovitch Fish

Lent is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations that begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of approximately six weeks before Easter Sunday.

During this time, most persons decide to leave meats out of the diet, eating only fish, vegetables, soy dishes and beans. With persons now observing Lent, THE STAR wants to make sure we equip you with some dishes during the period.

Recently, we gave you the recipe for steamed fish, and this week we will share the recipe for escovitch fish courtesy of cooklikeajamaican.com

Fried Fish

Ingredients

n Four whole red snappers

n Salt and pepper

n 1 cup cooking oil

Method

1. The day before, clean and scale fish. Season with salt and black pepper and refrigerate.

2. Set stove to high and add cooking oil to pan. Dry fish with paper towel and pan-fry for about five minutes on each side.

3. Take fish out of pan and place on paper towel to drain oil.

Escovitch Dressing

Ingredients

n 1/2 each, green and red bell pepper, julienned

n 1 carrot, julienned

n 1 small onion, sliced in rings

n 3 tablespoon cooking oil (you can use leftover oil from frying fish)

n 2/3 cup vinegar

n 10 pimento berries (optional)

n 1/2 teaspoon salt

n 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

n 1/2 Scotch bonnet pepper, seed removed and chopped

Method

1. Cut and chop vegetables and put aside.

2. Put vinegar and oil into a saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Add carrots and let simmer for about a minute.

4. Add pimento seeds, if using, salt and pepper sauce.

5. Add red and green bell peppers and simmer for a minute.

6. Add onion and simmer for about five minutes or until the onion is transparent.

7. Add Scotch bonnet pepper and stir.

8. Place fish into serving dish and spoon dressing on top.