Amazing Escovitch Fish and Festival Recipe

whole fish

🥗Healthier: grilled fish

💰Cheaper: tilapia

Tilapia is more affordable and still provides a good texture.

vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

White vinegar is less expensive and works well for pickling.

allspice

💰Cheaper: mixed spices

Mixed spices can mimic the flavor profile at a lower cost.

scotch bonnet pepper

💰Cheaper: jalapeño

Jalapeños are milder and easier to find.

In a bowl, add flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt; mix well.

Add butter to the dry ingredients, either by shaving or breaking it up.

Make a well in the dry mix and add 3/4 cup of plantain puree and 1/4 cup of milk; mix with a spoon.

Use hands to bring the mixture together, adding remaining plantain puree as needed to form a soft, sticky dough.

Add a teaspoon of oil, cover with damp paper towels, and let rest for about 30 minutes.

Prep the fish by cutting onion into rings and slicing half a large carrot into long strips.

Cut habanero peppers, removing seeds if desired for less heat.

Score the cleaned red snapper on both sides and season with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a skillet and add garlic and pimento berries to flavor the oil.

Fry the fish for about 5-7 minutes on each side until cooked through.

While the fish is frying, roll the rested dough into festival shapes and set aside.

Heat 2 cups of oil on medium-low heat and fry the shaped festivals for about 3 minutes, flipping often until golden brown.

Drain the fried festivals on paper towels or a wire rack.

For the escovitch sauce, either sauté the veggies in oil or combine them in a pot with vinegar, water, salt, and sugar; heat until the vinegar is hot, then remove from heat to soften the veggies.

Serve the escovitch fish with the fried festivals.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary