Fish Steak in Sriracha Escabeche

Larousse Gastronomique describes * Escabeche as A spicy cold marinade intended for preserving cooked foods and originating from Spain. It is used chiefly for small cooked fish. the fish are headed (hence the name, from cabeza, “head”).

The preparation has spread throughout the Mediterranean region; it is called scavetche in North Africa, escabecio or scavece in Italy, and escaveche in Belgium. Escabeche is also used in poultry and game birds. In Spain, partridge is fried quickly in oil with garlic then drained and marinated in its cooking juices with spices, and served cold. In Chile, chicken in escabeche is prepared in the same way and served cold with lemon and onions. (Larousse Gastronomique, Completely Revised and Updated, 2009 Publication)

* Escabeche is a typical Mediterranean cuisine which refers to a dish of either poached or fried fish (escabeche of chicken, rabbit or pork is common in Spain) that is marinated in an acidic mixture before serving, and to the marinade itself. The dish is common in Spain and Latin America, and popular in Catalonia, Portugal, Provence and the Philippines. Influences of the dish appear as far as Asia-Pacific with adjustments to local food staples. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escabeche)

My version of Escabeche is more Asian and much more similar to the Chinese Sweet and Sour dish for it is sour because of the vinegar and sweet because of the addition of sugar in the marinade/sauce. My addition of Sriracha is a wicked twist making the dish a bit spicy. 

I always consider this dish a humble and homey dish, because basically you just take a few bits and pieces of onions, ginger, tomatoes, carrots and spring onions from the pantry and veg chiller, whisk a mixture of vinegar, tomato sauce, tomato ketchup, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Simple everyday ingredients found in anyone’s kitchen and you got a great  and healthy dish ideal to be eaten with plain boiled rice. 

Ingredients:

3 (1/3 pound each, 3/4 inch thick) fish steaks

(Mahi-Mahi/Yellow Fin or Ahi Tuna/whole Tilapia or Tilapia fillets) 

salt and fresh cracked black pepper

1/2 canola oil (for pan-frying the fish and sauteeing vegetables)

1 cup carrots, julienned

2 Tablespoons ginger, julienned

1 large red onion, julienned

1 large tomato, deseeded and julienned

2 stalks spring onions, sliced diagonal

Escabeche Sauce:

1/2 cup white vinegar (or white cane vinegar, if available)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup tomato ketchup

1 Tablespoon Sriracha (or more according to taste and spice preference, also Optional)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)

1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar (less or more according to taste)

salt and pepper (according to taste)

Procedure:

- Season both sides of fish steaks with salt and pepper and pan-fry in canola oil. When cooked, transfer to a plate and set aside.

- In the same pan with the same oil used to pan-fry fish, saute ginger and onions for 2 minutes or until aromatics are fragrant. Add carrots and tomatoes and saute for 2 minutes.

- In a bowl, mix all liquid (sauce) ingredients together and adjust seasonings according to preference.

- Pour escabeche sauce mixture in saute pan with vegetables. simmer sauce until slightly thickened.

- Place fish steaks on a serving dish and pour sauce over. Garnish with sliced spring onions.

Serves 3-4

Goddess of Scrumptiousness Food Photography and Original Recipes by Jeannie Maristela are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at goddessofscrumptiousness.tumblr.com