Escovitch Fish Tacos

Escovitch Fish Tacos combine crispy, tasty Jamaican escovitch fish with a taco’s charm. Fish tacos are a Mexican cuisine staple. They mix crispy fish, fresh toppings, and zesty sauces for a delightful flavor. But what if you merge Jamaica’s escovitch fish with the humble taco? It has vibrant, spicy elements. The result is a bold, tantalizing fusion dish that’s bound to impress your taste buds.

What is Escovitch Fish?

Escovitch fish is a traditional Jamaican dish. It has Spanish and African influences, dating back to Jamaica’s colonial era. The name “escovitch” likely comes from the Spanish word “escabeche.” It refers to a method of marinating and pickling meats and fish. In Jamaica, escovitch typically features fried fish, often snapper or kingfish. It’s drenched in a vinegary sauce with scotch bonnet peppers, pimento, carrots, onions, and bell peppers. The vinegar’s acidity cuts through the richness of the fried fish. The peppers add a satisfying kick.

Escovitch fish often comes with fried bammy (cassava flatbread) or festival (sweet fried dumplings). It can be reimagined into tacos for a modern, casual twist.

What are Escovitch Fish Tacos?

Escovitch fish tacos blend Jamaican escovitch fish with Mexican tacos. Crispy fried fish is flaked and stuffed into a soft tortilla. It’s topped with fresh, spicy escovitch pickled vegetables. To improve the taco experience, we added toppings. They are avocado, cilantro, and a zesty lime crema. They balance the heat.

This dish is perfect for gatherings, weeknight dinners, or even Taco Tuesdays with a twist. The tacos offer a perfect bite of crunch, heat, and zest, while still being light and fresh.

Ingredients for Escovitch Fish Tacos

• Sitka Seafood Cod Fish Fillets FOR THE FRESHEST FISH GET YOUR SEAFOOD FROM SIKA SEAFOOD.
• Flour: Coating the fish in flour before frying creates a light, crispy crust. This provides a contrast to the soft tortilla and the pickled escovitch vegetables.
• Dry Seasonings: A simple seasoning for the fish adds flavor before the sauce.
• Vegetable Oil: The oil is used for frying the fish, giving it that golden, crispy exterior. It also enhances the flavor and texture of the fish.

For the Escovitch Sauce:

• White Vinegar: The vinegar is key to the pickling process in escovitch sauce. Its sharp, acidic flavor cuts through the richness of the fried fish. It adds brightness and balances the dish.
• Carrots: Sliced thinly, carrots add sweetness and crunch to the escovitch sauce. Their natural sweetness helps balance the acidity of the vinegar and the heat of the peppers.
• Onions: They have a mild tang and slight sweetness when pickled in the escovitch sauce. Their crunch also adds texture to the tacos.
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper: This is where the heat comes from. Scotch bonnet peppers have a fiery kick. It’s a hallmark of Jamaican cuisine. The peppers bring bold heat that complements the tangy vinegar and savory fish.
• Bell Peppers: Red, yellow, and green bell peppers add sweetness, color, and crunch. They also tone down the vinegar and scotch bonnet peppers. This creates a balanced flavor.
• Pimento Seeds (Allspice): Pimento adds a distinctively Jamaican, warm, earthy flavor. It adds complexity to the escovitch sauce and complements the fish’s flavor.
• Thyme adds herbal notes to the sauce. It gives a fresh, aromatic layer that enhances the dish. It’s a common herb in Caribbean cuisine that enhances the flavor of the vegetables and fish.
• Sugar: Blances the whole sauce.

For the Tacos:

• Tortillas (Corn or Flour): The soft tortillas act as the vessel for the escovitch fish and toppings. Corn tortillas are traditional in Mexican cooking. They are slightly sweet. Flour tortillas are softer.
• Avocado (optional): It adds creaminess. This balances the heat of the scotch bonnet peppers and the acidity of the escovitch sauce. It also adds a rich, buttery texture that complements the fried fish.

How to Make Escovitch Fish Tacos

Prepare the Escovitch Pickled Vegetables

• Slice the carrots, onions, and bell peppers thinly. Scotch bonnet (optional)
• Bring to boil water and vinegar, black pepper, sugar and all purpose seasoning.
• Pour the boiling water on pimento seeds, thyme, carrots, onions, and bell peppers. Scotch bonnet (optional)
• Set aside the escovitch sauce to cool while you prepare the fish.

Fry the Fish

• Slice fish into long strips
• Soak fish in lime or lemon cold water for 5 mins. Then rinse wild fresh cold water.
• Season the fish fillets with all-purpose, paprika, adobo and black pepper.
• Add flour to a bowl, then season flour with all-purpose, paprika, adobo, and black pepper.
• Add eggs to a bowl and beat it
• Coat each fillet in egg then seasoned flour (shake off excess flour if necessary)
• Heat oil in a skillet and fry the fish until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.
• Once cooked, drain the fish on paper towels.

Assemble the Tacos

• Warm the tortillas in a dry pan or oven.
• Place them in the center of each tortilla.
• Spoon some escovitch pickled vegetables over the fish. Use a mix of carrots, peppers, and onions.
• Add any optional toppings if desired.

Garnish and Serve

• Serve immediately, with extra escovitch sauce on the side for those who like it spicier.

Escovitch Fish Tacos: Why You’ll Love Them

• The beauty of Escovitch fish tacos lies in the fusion of flavors.
• The scotch bonnet’s heat pairs perfectly with the vinegar’s tang and the pimento’s earthiness.
• The fried fish is crunchy. It contrasts with the soft tortilla and creamy avocado.
• Every bite is an explosion of tastes and textures that will leave you craving more.
• These tacos are versatile. You can adjust the spice level, add toppings, or swap the fish for shrimp or tofu for a vegan version.
• Escovitch fish tacos are perfect for summer cookouts, beach picnics, or a fun family dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Can I make escovitch fish tacos ahead of time?

Yes! You can prepare the escovitch sauce a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator. The fish is best served freshly fried. You can also fry it ahead and reheat it in the oven to keep it crispy.

What’s the best fish to use for escovitch tacos?

Use snapper or kingfish for escovitch. You can also use other firm white fish, like tilapia or cod. The key is to use a fish that holds up well to frying.

Is escovitch fish tacos spicy?

Yes, escovitch fish tacos can be spicy due to the scotch bonnet pepper. You can control the heat by using less pepper. Or, substitute it with a milder variety, like jalapeños.

Can I make escovitch tacos gluten-free?

Absolutely! Use gluten-free flour to coat the fish. Use corn tortillas, not flour ones.

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, But the tongue of the wise promotes health.” Proverbs 12:18 NKJV

Wisdom

The hardest thing to tame according to the Bible is our tongue. It can both curse people and bless our God. Our words have the power to either tear someone down or encourage someone and lift them up.

As we learn here in proverbs, there are people, who when they speak, their words are like getting cut with a sword. They hurt deeply. They bring you down. Speak death into you. Sticks and stones break bones and words do hurt.

Whoever said words don’t hurt is a lie. What someone says to you can hurt you or change your mood for better or worse. Every idle word we speak will be judged on the last day.

We must try our best to be wise and speak life into others. Be kind unto others. Speak words of the fruits of the spirit. Peace, love, joy, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, patience, self control, kindness.

At times in this world people make it hard to speak nicely to them. But we must do it because our Father in heaven and His Son, Jesus requires it.

For Jesus is coming back soon. We must be ready and I pray we all say what King David said: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.”

Escovitch Fish Tacos

Escovitch Fish Tacos the combination of these ingredients creates a balanced dish with a variety of textures—crunchy fish, soft tortillas, crisp pickled vegetables—and a wide range of flavors—spicy, tangy, fresh, and rich. The acid from the vinegar and lime balances the heat of the scotch bonnet, while the crunch of the vegetables contrasts with the creamy avocado and soft fish, offering a satisfying eating experience.

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Course: Appetizer, brunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican, Mexican

Keyword: escovitch fish taco, escovitch pickle sauce, how to make escovitch sauce, How to make Jamaican Escovitch fish, jamaican escovitch fish

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Author: Jerk Tavern

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Ingredients

• Cod fish fillets (snapper, or kingfish work well)
• 1 cup Flour (for coating)
• 1-2 Eggs (depends on amount of fish)
• 3 tbsp All-purpose seasoning (to season the fish)
• 1 tbsp Paprika (to season the fish)
• 2 tbsp Adobo (to season the fish)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

For the Escovitch Sauce

• 1/2 cup White vinegar (key for the tangy flavor)
• 1 cup of Water
• 1 Carrot (thinly sliced)
• 1 Onions (sliced into rings)
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (sliced, remove seed for less heat)
• Bell peppers (a mix of red, yellow, and green for color)
• Pimento seeds (allspice)
• Thyme
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Black pepper
• 2 tbsp All-purpose seasoning

For the Tacos

• Tortillas (corn or flour, depending on preference)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Escovitch Pickled Vegetables

• Slice the carrots, onions, and bell peppers thinly. Scotch bonnet (optional)
• Bring to boil water and vinegar, black pepper, sugar and all purpose seasoning.
• Pour the boiling water on pimento seeds, thyme, carrots, onions, and bell peppers. Scotch bonnet (optional)
• Set aside the escovitch sauce to cool while you prepare the fish.

Season Oil

• To the oil add garlic, pimento berries(all spice), and thyme.
• Heat oil in a skillet and

Step 2: Fry the Fish

• Slice fish into long strips
• Soak fish in lime or lemon cold water for 5 mins. Then rinse wild fresh cold water.
• Season the fish fillets with all-purpose, paprika, adobo and black pepper.
• Add flour to a bowl, then season flour with all-purpose, paprika, adobo, and black pepper.
• Add eggs to a bowl and beat it
• Coat each fillet in egg then seasoned flour (shake off excess flour if necessary)
• To the heated oil fry the fish until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.
• Once cooked, drain the fish on paper towels.

Step 3: Assemble the Tacos

• Warm the tortillas in a dry pan or oven.
• Place them in the center of each tortilla.
• Spoon some escovitch pickled vegetables over the fish. Use a mix of carrots, peppers, and onions.
• Add any optional toppings if desired.
• Step 4: Garnish and Serve

Step 4: Garnish and Serve

• Serve immediately, with extra escovitch sauce on the side for those who like it spicier.

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