I love escabeches. I really do. Not only they’re quick and easy to cook. I also find them delicious. And since they keep perfectly well in the fridge for days, they are a terrific choice when planning your weekly tupperware menu.
The escabeches are one of the crown jewels of Spanish gastronomy and a fantastic contribution from our cuisine to the rest of the world. We’ve already sang the praises of escabeches before. But in case you are new to this term, you can read everything about them in this post.
Fish escabeches are excellent. A sort of Spanish-style ceviche if you want, although I do believe this recipe has enough personality of its own to need no comparisons.
Of course you might have heard of ‘tuna in escabeche’ if you’re a regular of Spanish tapas bars, where is easy to find it served on its own, with some piquillo peppers or as part of a banderilla. But although admittedly less conventional, this wild trout in escabeche recipe will make your mouth water, so let’s get on with it and start cooking!
Note: this one here is a slightly simplified version of a recipe from the great Basque chef Martín Berasategui, who for those following this website, is a great source of inspiration for us.
INGREDIENTS
- 800 g Trout - Filleted
- 30 g Extra virgin olive oil
- 125 g White Onion
- 125 g Carrots
- 300 g Baby potatoes
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 1 tbsp Pimenton - Preferably sweet pimenton
- 2 leaves Bay leaves
- 4 twigs Fresh thyme
- 12 twigs Fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp Black pepper - Peppercorns
- 1 tbsp Sea salt - Flakes
- 600 g Extra virgin olive oil
- 300 g Cider vinegar
METHOD
- Start by washing the potatoes, skin included, under the tap. Cook them in a pot with boiling water and salt for approximate 20 minutes. When cooked, take them off the heat and let them cool down before peeling them. Reserve.
- Skin the trout fillets and cut them in dices of 3 cm each side.
- Sweat the onions, the carrots and the garlic cloves in a shallow casserole together with the 30 grammes of olive oil. After 10 minutes, take it off the heat, add the pimentón and stir well. Leave aside to cool down.
- Add the trout to the casserole, together with the bay leaves, the parsley, the thyme, the peppercorns and the boiled potatoes.
- In a different pot, mix 600 grammes of olive oil with 300 grammes of cider vinegar. Season it well with salt flakes and bring it to boil.
- When it starts boiling, take it off the heat and pour it over the trout and the vegetables. Cover the casserole and let it cool down completely before serving.
Escabeches get better the longer you let them soak the flavour. Leave it overnight before serving for an enhanced flavour.
