Escovitch Fish
Escovitch fish is the Jamaican variation of Escabeche, a traditional Persian dish spread through Latin America and Mediterranean by the Spanish.[1] Escabeche was brought into Jamaica when in 1509, the Spanish Empire, specifically conquistador Juan de Esquivel under direct orders from Diego Columbus, formally occupied the nation naming it the Colony of Santiago. The dish is typically prepared with fish common to Jamaica like mahi mahi, wahoo, blue and white marlin, sailfish, tarpon, barracuda, and bonito.[2] The chosen fish is dependent on what is caught on a given date which varies by location and water type. Any fish ought to work though as the recognizable flavor comes from escovitch sauce and accompanying vegetables as well as the treatment of the fish with citrus in the early stages of preparation. As is the case with many dishes spread through cultures, the ingredients shift based on availability, but the original techniques remain the same. The dish is often compared to Ceviche, the South American dish of raw fish prepared with Vinegar, but unlike ceviche escovitch is cooked with heat. The comparison is often drawn because traditional recipes of escovitch fish require the fish be treated with lemon or lime juice and the highly acidic vinegar based sauce mimics the same acidity found in ceviche.
The process of preparing this dish begins by rinsing the fish, rubbing it with a lemon or lime, and season. Salt and pepper are a must, but some chefs use creole seasoning or similar homemade mixtures. The fish is fried before adding a Bay leaf, garlic, ginger onion, bell peppers, carrots, thyme, Scotch bonnet, sugar, and Allspice are added to create a stir-fry of sorts.[3] After a few minutes vinegar is added to create the escovitch sauce.[4] Almost always this dish is served with bammy, a flat bread made with grated Cassava, dipped in Coconut milk and fried until golden brown.[5] That being said different chefs have variations on the recipe. The seasonings and steps often change and because of how the dish is often passed down in a family setting measurements are often not used or at least not written down.
Bammy, also called bami, is made from Cassava, also called yuca. Bammy descended from other simple flatbreads eaten by the Arawaks, the indigenous community in Jamaica. This dish is illustrative of melding cultures. Escovitch fish is a Persian delicacy largely considered Spanish made Jamaican accompanied by a flatbread developed by the Arawaks. These cultures came together through the same processes which made the variety of international variations on the escabeche.
References[edit]
- ↑ van Gelder, G. J. (2002-05-01). "Review: Medieval Arab Cookery: Essays and Translations * Maxime Rodinson, A. J. Arberry, Charles Perry: Medieval Arab Cookery: Essays and Translations". Journal of Islamic Studies. 13 (2): 248–251. doi:10.1093/jis/13.2.248. ISSN 0955-2340.
- ↑ "All fishes reported from Jamaica". www.fishbase.se. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
- ↑ "Jamaican Escovitch Fish". Immaculate Bites. 2014-09-25. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
- ↑ "Escovitch Snapper". Food Network (in español). Retrieved 2019-12-06.
- ↑ "Bammy". Immaculate Bites. 2014-09-22. Retrieved 2019-12-06.
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