This escovitch trout recipe is a brilliant way of cooking fish healthily. The trout is baked in the oven with vinegar, vegetables and a few spices. Delicious!
I'm always looking for new ways to cook fish and when I first made this Jamaican escovitch fish recipe it was quite different from anything I had ever tried before. If you love healthy fish recipes as well as strong punchy flavours then this fish dish will be right up your street.
Another great thing about this baked Caribbean fish recipe is that it's really quick to prepare. The oven then does all the work! If you know you are going to be pushed for time later in the day then it's a great recipe to prep in advance. Just wrap the fish parcel up and put it in the fridge until you want to cook it.
Prepping the fish in advance means it gets some time to marinate too which is always a good thing!
But what is escovitch fish?
In Jamaica escovitch fish is a fish recipe in which the fish is fried and then topped with an escovitch sauce. The escovitch sauce contains vinegar, spices and vegetables. Typical vegetables include peppers, onions and carrots.
Is this a traditional escovitch recipe?
Well, this recipe has all the Caribbean escovitch flavours but it's slightly healthier. No, a lot healthier as the fish is not fried first. The fish is wrapped in a parcel with the vinegar, spices and vegetables and then baked till it's ready. The fish simply steams inside the foil parcel and all the flavours soak it!
It may not have the crispy skin but the vinegar and spices really do flavour the fish as it's cooking. It's definitely a good choice if you like strong flavours and healthy choices.
What ingredients do you need for escovitch trout?
To make this steamed escovitch fish recipe you'll need:
- Fish - I used one large trout to serve two people. You could use a different large whole fish or smaller fillets of fish.
- Vegetables - I used different coloured bell peppers, spring onions and cucumber
- Garlic - It adds loads of flavour
- Red chilli pepper - This adds a touch of fiery heat. Decide what kind of chilli pepper to use depending on how hot you want it.
- Ground allspice - Allspice berries are a really popular seasoning in the Caribbean and definitely give it that Jamaican flavour!
- Vinegar - I use cider vinegar but you can get away with using red or white wine vinegar instead.
- Olive oil
How do you make escovitch trout?
This fish dish is really easy to prepare. First just take a large piece of aluminium kitchen foil. Spray it with a little oil. Place the fish in the centre of the foil.
Pile up all the vegetables, sliced chilli pepper and garlic on top of the fish. Add the allspice and drizzle with the vinegar and olive oil.
Bring up the sides of the foil and fold the edges together to make a parcel.
Bake for about 25 minutes if it's a whole fish. If you are using fish fillets they will cook more quickly so 20 minutes will definitely be enough.
Why add cucumber?
Well, apart from the trout itself, the best thing about this escovitsh fish was the cooked pickled cucumber. I would never have thought to cook cucumber like this but it actually works brilliantly. The cucumber doesn't go soggy, it still has some bite to it. It is just like a warm pickle. The other vegetables are still quite firm and crunchy too and the sauce that develops in the parcel as it's cooking is so tasty.
How to adapt this escovitch fish recipe
I love trout so that's the fish I chose to use but you can use any fish you like. You can use a whole gutted fish or fillets of fish. A whole fish looks impressive but if you're making this as an easy midweek fish meal then fillets are probably easier.
You can vary the vegetables depending on your tastes too. Add some carrots, shredded cabbage or onions to mix things up a bit.
The inspiration for this recipe
The recipe is by Levi Roots in Caribbean Food Made Easy and although different vegetables can be used, the cucumber goes so well that I would never miss it out.
More delicious fish recipes
Do check out some more of my tasty fish recipes!
As well as rolled up fish stuffed with olives in a spinach tomato sauce I've also got this couscous sardine salad! Delicious. Another recipe that is similar to this is herring baked in vinegar and pickling spices.
Recipe
Escovitch Trout Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large trout
- 1 pepper Use half each of two different coloured peppers
- 10 cm cucumber
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 red chilli pepper
- 2 spring onions finely sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice berries
- 70 ml cider vinegar
- 20 ml olive oil
Instructions
- Place the trout on a large square of aluminium foil. Season with a little salt and pepper and top with all the chopped vegetables.
- Mix the vinegar, oil and allspice powder. Pinch up the sides of the foil. Pour in the vinegar mixture over the top of the fish and vegetables. Pinch the foil together so that it forms a completely sealed parcel. Cook in the oven for about 25 minutes.
- Open the foil parcel carefully as the steam is very hot as it escapes. Divide between two plates. I served with homemade chips and some spinach leaves but it goes nicely just with some bread.
Notes
Nutrition
Keep in touch
Do let me know if you make this escovitch fish recipe. I love to get feedback from readers.
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