Escovitch is a cooking process whereby meat (typically fish) is fried then doused with a pickling sauce made from vinegar, pimento, onions, peppers, and carrots. It’s a very easy process and can be done in advance of cooking the meat for a more intense flavor or on the day of, either option is fine. For my escovitch sauce, I added jalapenos, garlic, and thyme which aren’t usually found in the traditional sauce but like I always say make adjustments based on your preferences. The sauce once completed should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for about 2 months. The last thing to note is that while the sauce is typically served with fried snapper, it can be used with other proteins such as fried chicken, pork chops, shrimp, tilapia, etc.
So let’s get to pickling. Have fun and enjoy!
Servings: 2 cups
Ingredients
1 Onion
2 cloves Garlic
1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper
½ Jalapeno
3 Bell Peppers (Red, Green, and Yellow)
3 Carrots
2 stalks Thyme
5-10 Pimento Seeds
1cup White Vinegar
½ tsp Salt
1tbsp Granulated Sugar
Steps
1. Cut the onion into thin rounds. Peel and finely slice the garlic. Slice the scotch bonnet pepper and jalapeno into rounds.
2. Cut ¼ piece lengthwise off the bell peppers (follow the ridges as a guide). Slice into thin strips.
3. Peel and wash the carrots. Remove the tops and ends, cut the carrots in half lengthwise, then cut each half horizontally until you have 4 pieces. Slice into matchstick pieces.
4. Remove leaves from the thyme stalks.
5. In a large pot over high heat add the vinegar, scotch bonnet, and jalapeno peppers. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the remaining ingredients (onions, bell peppers, carrots, thyme, garlic, pimento, salt, and sugar). Stir to combine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. After 5 minutes, turn the heat off and carefully place the sauce into a jar. Allow to completely cool before covering. This can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 months. Serve over your choice of protein. Enjoy.
