Fish escabeche is similar to ceviche, but the fish is cooked a bit first. Because of the acidity of the marinade, the dish lends itself to fatty fish, especially mackerel. When I first had this version of escabeche, prepared by Chef Sean Bernal in the Bahamas, it was with a wahoo fish, and all I could think of was how good it would taste with mackerel. Unfortunately for me I haven’t been able to find any fresh mackerel (or herring, or sardines for that matter) in Sacramento. The fishmonger at Whole Foods recommended pacific black cod (also known as sablefish) as a substitute because it is fairly oily (and packed with omega 3s). Pacific black cod may seem a little delicate for the task, but you know what? When I prepared it, it firmed up beautifully overnight. I also tried it with tuna, but the tuna ended up being too steak-y for the dish, it didn’t flake like the black cod. Because of the acidity, you can’t eat too much of the escabeche at once. It does work great though, for quick fish tacos. Just take a basic cheese taco and add a bit of the fish, peppers and onions. Normally you wouldn’t use melted cheddar in a fish taco, but because the cheese cuts through the acidity, it works. The escabeche reminds me a bit of pickled herring, a staple in Norwegian buffets and Minnesota pantries, and also a bit of mackerel sushi, for those of you sushi lovers. Do you have a favorite escabeche recipe? or even pickled herring? If so, please let us know about it in the comments. Regarding the habanero, the original recipe called for a Scotch bonnet, which is hard to find out here. One might think that a whole habanero would make the dish too spicy, but it was actually the perfect amount for this dish. Heat remaining 1/4 cup of oil a frying pan on high heat. When the oil is hot (but not smoking), add the fish fillets to the pan. Cook on one side for 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan when they are only half-cooked through, as the vinegar in the marinade will finish the cooking process. The fish will finish “cooking” in the acidic marinade and will become firmer. Serve on a small plate, or on a crostini for an appetizer. Or add to a cheese taco (cheddar in softened corn tortilla) for a quick fish taco. Will last several days in the refrigerator.
