This recipe also appears in the Frugal Gastronomy “Summer of Love” Cookbook, in print alongside 19 more.
Red snapper Escovitch with Harissa Sauce
Whole fried red snapper seasoned with warm spices, topped with a tangy pickled bell pepper and onion escovitch, and served with a smoky homemade harissa sauce.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Food processor or blender
- Large skillet
Ingredients
For the Fish
- 2 medium to large whole or filet red snapper cleaned
- 6 whole habanero peppers or jalapeño or scotch bonnet for extra heat to your liking
- 6 whole all spice seed
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
- 1 tablespoon pink Himalayan salt or sea salt
- 2 teaspoon freshly cracked Madagascar wild peppercorns or black peppercorn
- Avocado oil or vegetable oil
For the Escovitch Pickles
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 yellow or orange bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- Pink Himalayan salt or sea salt to taste
- Freshly cracked Madagascar wild peppercorns or black peppercorn to taste
- Harissa sauce store-bought or homemade, for serving
For the Harissa Homemade Sauce
- 4 red bell peppers
- 2-3 red chili peppers adjust to taste
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
Prepare the Harissa Sauce
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the red bell peppers and red chili peppers on a baking sheet.
- Roast for about 20-25 minutes until the skins are charred and blistered.
- Remove from the oven and place the peppers in a bowl, covering with plastic wrap. Let them steam for 10-15 minutes, then peel off the skins and remove the seeds.
Blend the Sauce
- In a dry skillet, toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and caraway seeds until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- In a food processor or blender, combine the roasted peppers, garlic, toasted spices, smoked paprika, olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Blend until smooth.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and set aside.
Cook the Fish
- In a small bowl, mix the salt, cracked peppercorn, paprika, garlic powder, celery seed, cumin powder, and onion powder.
- Rub the seasoning mixture all over the cleaned red snapper, making sure to get into the slits and cavities.
- Heat enough oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat to cover the bottom of the pan and season the oil with the all spice seed and hot peppers. The hot pepper will turn black but that’s okay.
- Fry the red snapper for about 4-5 minutes on each side, until the fish is cooked through. Remove and set aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Prepare the Escovitch Pickle
- In the same skillet, add the julienned carrot, bell pepper, and onion. Sauté for about 4 minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the vinegar, stir well, and bring to a simmer for about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and freshly cracked peppercorns to taste. Remove from heat.
Assemble the Dish
- Serve with a generous drizzle of the harissa sauce under or over the fish, then spoon the escovitch pickle mixture over the top.
