flipEscabeche of Fish for Lean Days
Escabeche of Fish for Lean Days
Why this dish? A woman of rigorous piety, Isabella observed fasts and meatless Fridays: fish in escabeche, preserved in vinegar and oil, allowed honoring these days without fresh fish, a rare commodity in inland Castile.
Fried fish slices marinated in a saffron vinegar with onions, garlic and spices. The marinade preserves the fish for several days and gives it a perfumed acidity.
On Fridays and during holy Lent, flesh is forbidden to us, and then escabeche works wonders. My cooks brown the fish in oil, then lay it in warm vinegar where onions, garlic and bay have cooked, brightened with a little saffron. Thus kept, it lasts good days without spoiling — a blessing for travelers or for those who serve a large household. Eaten cold the next day, it is even better: the vinegar has done its work.
- •Fish in slices (sardine, mackerel, hake) — as desired (base)
- •Wine vinegar — enough to cover (preservation and acidity)
- •Olive oil — generous (frying and preservation)
- •Onions and garlic — several (aromatics)
- •Bay leaf, saffron, pepper — to taste (spices)
Escabeche of Fish for Lean Days
Fried fish slices marinated in a saffron vinegar with onions, garlic and spices. The marinade preserves the fish for several days and gives it a perfumed acidity.
Why this dish? A woman of rigorous piety, Isabella observed fasts and meatless Fridays: fish in escabeche, preserved in vinegar and oil, allowed honoring these days without fresh fish, a rare commodity in inland Castile.
On Fridays and during holy Lent, flesh is forbidden to us, and then escabeche works wonders. My cooks brown the fish in oil, then lay it in warm vinegar where onions, garlic and bay have cooked, brightened with a little saffron. Thus kept, it lasts good days without spoiling — a blessing for travelers or for those who serve a large household. Eaten cold the next day, it is even better: the vinegar has done its work.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fish in slices (sardine, mackerel, hake) — as desired (base)
- Wine vinegar — enough to cover (preservation and acidity)
- Olive oil — generous (frying and preservation)
- Onions and garlic — several (aromatics)
- Bay leaf, saffron, pepper — to taste (spices)
Ingredients
- Mackerel or sardine fillets — 600 g (base)
- White wine vinegar — 200 ml (acidity and preservation)
- Olive oil — 150 ml (frying and marinade)
- Onions, sliced — 2 (aromatic)
- Garlic — 4 cloves (aromatic)
- Bay leaves — 2 (perfume)
- Saffron — 1 pinch (color and perfume)
- Pepper and salt — to taste (seasoning)
Method
- Salt the fillets, lightly flour them, and fry in olive oil until golden; set aside in a shallow dish.
- In the same oil, gently cook onions and garlic until soft; add bay leaves and pepper.
- Pour in vinegar and a little water, add saffron, bring to a simmer for 5 min.
- Pour the warm marinade over the fish so it is covered.
- Let cool, then refrigerate for at least 24 h before serving cold.
How it was made : Escabeche descends from the Arabic sikbāj, a sweet-and-sour dish from al-Andalus adapted as a preservation technique. Before refrigeration, the acidity of vinegar and the oil layer protected the fish for several days.
The contemporary twist : Served as a tapa on a thin slice of toasted bread, with some confit onions from the marinade: Friday's escabeche becomes a chic appetizer.
Sources : Tradition of Andalusian sikbāj · Ruperto de Nola, Llibre del Coch
Isabella I of Castile · Charactorium
