Jamaican Fried Snapper

Description

We cooked this traditional ‘escovitch’ dish of fried fish with my grandmother the night before church, so we could serve it after the service the next day at a large communal meal.

Ingredients

  • 1 (1 1/2 pound) whole red snapper, cleaned and scaled
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • ½ white onion, sliced
  • ⅛ teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ large carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves stripped
  • 1 allspice berry, cracked
  • ¼ habanero pepper, seeded and minced
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch brown sugar

Instructions

  1. Pat fish dry
  2. then cut 3 small slits on each side of fish. Season all over with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat 1 quart oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Fry fish in hot oil until browned and crisp
  4. about 5 minutes per side. Remove fish and place on a paper towel-lined plate.
  5. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion
  6. carrot
  7. and garlic in hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes. Add thyme
  8. allspice
  9. habanero pepper
  10. vinegar
  11. water
  12. salt
  13. and sugar; continue cooking until onions have softened and liquid has reduced
  14. about 5 minutes.
  15. Spoon onion mixture over fried fish to serve.

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Servings: 2

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