Escovitch Snapper with Fiery Pickled Pepper Slaw

⏱ 50 min · Serves 4

Whole red snapper fried until the skin shatters, then drowned in a hot, sweet-sour vinegar pickle loaded with carrot, onion, allspice and Scotch bonnet. It's the Jamaican seaside classic — best eaten with your fingers, festival or hard dough bread on the side.

Per serving: 465 kcal · 48.0g protein · 16.0g carbs · 23.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 whole red snapper (about 500g each), scaled, gutted and scored 3 times on each side
• 1 lime, halved
• 2 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• About 400ml vegetable oil, for shallow frying
• 250ml white vinegar (cane vinegar if you have it)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
• 1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 whole Scotch bonnet, sliced (deseed for less heat)
• 10 whole pimento (allspice) berries
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt, for the pickle
• Lime wedges, to serve

Method

1. Rinse the snapper and rub all over with the cut lime, squeezing as you go. Pat completely dry inside and out.
2. Mix the salt, black pepper, garlic powder and dried thyme, then rub into the fish, working it into the scores and cavity. Rest 15 minutes.
3. Dust the fish lightly with flour, shaking off any excess.
4. Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan to about 180C — it should sizzle hard around a wooden spoon handle. Fry the fish one at a time for 6-7 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack.
5. While the fish fries, make the escovitch: put the vinegar, water, sugar, pimento berries, peppercorns, thyme sprigs and 1/2 tsp salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the carrot, onion, both peppers and the Scotch bonnet. Simmer for just 2-3 minutes — the vegetables should stay crunchy. Take off the heat.
7. Sit the fried snapper on a large platter and spoon the hot pickle and all its liquid over the top.
8. Leave for at least 10 minutes (or up to a day in the fridge) so the flavours soak in. Serve warm or at room temperature with lime wedges, festival or bread.