Escabeche

Ingredients

Fish or rabbit

• 1 kgfirm white fish steaks, or 1 rabbit, jointed
• 2 tspsalt
• 60 gplain flour
• 200 mlolive oil, for frying

Escabeche

• 3onions, sliced thick
• 1 headgarlic, cloves peeled and left whole
• 2carrots, sliced
• 300 mlwhite wine vinegar
• 150 mlolive oil
• 3bay leaves
• 1 tbspblack peppercorns
• 1 tbspsweet paprika
• 2 sprigsthyme
• 1 tspsalt

To serve

• bread
• olives

Directions

1. Season the fish or rabbit and leave 15 minutes, then pat dry and dust lightly with flour, shaking off the excess.
2. Fry in hot olive oil until golden and just cooked through — three minutes a side for fish, 20 minutes for rabbit. Lift out and lay in a single layer in a deep glass or ceramic dish.
3. Pour off most of the frying oil, leaving a couple of tablespoons, and cook the onion, whole garlic cloves and carrot over medium heat for 10 minutes until softened but still holding their shape.
4. Add the vinegar, the fresh olive oil, bay, peppercorns, paprika, thyme and salt, and simmer for five minutes. Do not reduce it — you want plenty of liquid, because everything has to sit submerged in it.
5. Pour the hot escabeche over the fried fish or rabbit so it is completely covered, then cool at room temperature.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours. This is not resting for flavour alone: the acid is what preserves it, and it needs a day to penetrate.
7. Use a glass or ceramic dish, never unlined metal — vinegar standing for a day in aluminium picks up a distinct metallic taste.
8. Serve cold or at room temperature with bread and olives. It keeps a week in the fridge, submerged.

Technique

• Fry properly first. Escabeche preserves cooked food; it is not a ceviche.
• Keep everything under the liquid in the fridge. Any piece standing proud dries and spoils.
• Twenty-four hours minimum, and it is better on the second day.

Substitutions

• Mackerel, sardines or horse mackerel, all of which take escabeche well.
• Partridge or chicken in place of rabbit.
• Cider vinegar for wine vinegar, giving a rounder result.

Variations

• The Peruvian escabeche is served warm with ají; the Cuban one is sweeter.
• A version with carrot cut in coins and plenty of paprika, which is the Alentejo style.

History

An Iberian preservation method of Arab origin, adopted across Portugal for carrying fish inland before refrigeration.

Frequently asked questions

What is Escabeche?

Escabeche is a fermented & pickled from Portugal: fried fish or rabbit steeped in vinegar, onion and bay, eaten cold. An Iberian preservation method of Arab origin, adopted across Portugal for carrying fish inland before refrigeration.

How long does Escabeche take to make?

Escabeche takes 30 min plus 24 hours in the fridge of preparation and 40 min of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Escabeche?

Yes, within limits. Mackerel, sardines or horse mackerel, all of which take escabeche well. Partridge or chicken in place of rabbit. Cider vinegar for wine vinegar, giving a rounder result.

What is the most important thing to get right in Escabeche?

Add the vinegar, the fresh olive oil, bay, peppercorns, paprika, thyme and salt, and simmer for five minutes. Do not reduce it — you want plenty of liquid, because everything has to sit submerged in it.