Jamaican Escovitch Fish with Festival and Pickled Vegetables (Portland Style)

Ingredients

• 1 piecewhole red snapper (or snapper fillet)
• 3 tbspall-purpose flour
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 0.5 tspgarlic powder
• 0.5 tsppaprika
• 0.5 cupvegetable oil
• 1 piecescotch bonnet pepper
• 0.5 piecewhite onion
• 0.5 piececarrot
• 0.25 piececho cho (chayote)
• 3 tbspwhite vinegar
• 1 tspsugar
• 6 pieceallspice berries (pimento berries)
• 1 piecebay leaf
• 1 tspbrowning sauce (Grace or similar)
• 0.25 cupcornmeal
• 0.33 cupall-purpose flour (for festival)
• 1.5 tbspsugar (for festival)
• 0.5 tspbaking powder
• 0.25 tspsalt (for festival)
• 0.25 tspvanilla extract

Method

1. 1

   Start the festival dough first: in a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract. Add water a little at a time (about 3–4 tbsp) and mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Divide into 2 small logs, rolling each into a smooth oval shape about 3 inches long.

2. 2

   Heat the vegetable oil in a small deep pan or skillet over medium heat. Once hot (test with a small piece of dough — it should sizzle and float), fry the festival dumplings for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown all over. Remove and drain on paper towels.

3. 3

   While the festivals fry, prepare the escovitch vegetables: thinly slice the onion into rings, julienne the carrot and cho cho, and slice the scotch bonnet into thin rings (remove seeds for less heat if preferred). Set aside.

4. 4

   Pat the fish dry with paper towels and score both sides with 2–3 diagonal cuts if using a whole fish. Rub all over with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and browning sauce, pressing into the cuts.

5. 5

   Dust the fish lightly on both sides with the 3 tbsp of flour, shaking off any excess. In the same pan used for festivals (pour off excess oil leaving about 3 tbsp), raise heat to medium-high and fry the fish for 4–5 minutes per side until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the flesh flakes easily. Remove to a plate.

6. 6

   In a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of the frying oil. Add the onion rings, carrot, cho cho, scotch bonnet, allspice berries, and bay leaf. Stir-fry for 2 minutes — the vegetables should soften slightly but still have bite.

7. 7

   Pour in the white vinegar and add the sugar. Stir well and let it bubble for 1 minute so the vinegar mellows slightly and the vegetables absorb the pickling liquid. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

8. 8

   Spoon the hot escovitch vegetables and all the pickling liquid generously over the fried fish. Serve immediately with the festival dumplings on the side.