Fish / Escabeche
Fresh fish
escabeche.
Fresh fish barely cooked, then rested in a warm sherry-vinegar escabeche. Pull it early and let carryover finish the center.
Serves 4Time 35 minKeeps 2 days chilled
Method
- Salt the fish and leave it cold for ten minutes. Pat dry. Warm the oil with onion, garlic, bay, peppercorns, and oregano until the onion softens without coloring. Add the vinegar and bring it just to a simmer.
- Lay the fish skin-side down in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook until the skin releases and the outside begins to flake while the center is still translucent. Take the pan off the heat immediately.
- Pour the warm escabeche over the fish. Rest ten minutes so carryover heat finishes the center gently. Serve warm, or cool promptly and refrigerate within two hours.
Pull it early
The fish keeps cooking in the warm oil and vinegar. Take it off the heat as soon as the outside flakes, then let carryover finish it. Before serving, the center should be opaque and flake under gentle pressure.
Fresh fish, short hold
This is a fresh escabeche, not a shelf-stable preserve. Keep it at 40°F / 4°C or colder and eat within two days.