Escabeche de Pescado [Cuba]

Ingredients for Fish :

1 lb. cod

½ cup flour

salt

pepper

2-4 tablespoons cooking oil

Ingredients for Pickling Sauce :

2-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon aji panca

1 red onion, sliced into feathers

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon oregano

2 cups fish stock

4 teaspoons honey

4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 bay leaf

Ingredients for Garnish :

1 habanero pepper, julienned

8 lettuce leaves

1 egg, hard boiled, cut into quarters

1 sweet potato, peeled, cooked, cut into rounds

4 Kalamata olives

Steps for Fish :

§    Clean and cut the fish into 4 pieces, season with salt and pepper

§    Coat each piece of fish with flour, shake off excess flour, and pan fry the fish in a skillet with 2-4 tablespoons cooking oil over medium to high heat

§    Cook each piece until it’s a golden brown, about 4 minutes per side, or until fish is cooked through

§    After cooking the fish, transfer the pieces to a deep dish and set aside

Steps for Pickling Sauce :

§    Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat

§    Sauté the onion, garlic paste, and aji panca for a few minutes

§    Season with salt, pepper, cumin, and oregano

§    Add the fish stock, and mix in the honey and red wine vinegar

§    Add the bay leaf, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes

§    Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature

Steps for Escabeche :

§    Pour picking sauce over fish in dish

§    Toss the onions to mix well

§    Let rest for one hour before serving at room temperature

§    Periodically scoop sauce over fish

Plate individual servings of fish over a bed of lettuce with cooked sweet potato rounds, scoop the sauce with onions over the fish, and garnish with hard boiled egg quarters and Kalamata olives