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Cuba · Bigmouth Sleeper

Cuban River Fish Escabeche

Guabina en Escabeche

Cuban families have always kept escabeche in a jar for holidays: fried fish layered with olive oil, vinegar, onions and olives, left to mellow for a day or two.

  • Prep 25 min
  • Cook 25 min
  • Serves 6
  • Level Medium
Photo: Obsidian Soul · CC BY-SA 4.0
Served with: Cuban Yuca with Garlic Mojo ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the fish

For the escabeche

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Season. Toss the fish with lime juice, salt and pepper and leave 20 minutes. Pat dry.
  2. Fry. Dust with flour and fry at 350 °F (175 °C) for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Drain.
  3. Make the escabeche. In a pan over low heat, cook the onions, green pepper, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns in the olive oil 10 minutes, until soft but not brown. Add the vinegar, olives, capers, pimientos and salt.
  4. Layer. In a glass jar or dish, layer the fish with the onion mixture and pour all the oil and vinegar over, making sure the fish is covered.
  5. Rest and serve. Cover and refrigerate 24–48 hours. Bring to room temperature and serve with yuca con mojo and crackers.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Cuba

Cuban Yuca with Garlic Mojo

Yuca con Mojo

Tender boiled yuca drenched in a hot mojo of garlic, sour orange and sizzling oil, with raw onion on top. A Cuban side for any fish off the grill.

  • Prep 15 min
  • Cook 30 min
  • Serves 4–6
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 lb (900 g) yuca (cassava), fresh or frozen
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 8 garlic cloves
  • ½ cup sour orange juice (or ⅓ cup orange + 3 tbsp lime)
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 small onion, sliced thin
  • ½ tsp ground cumin

How to make it

  1. Prep the yuca. Peel the yuca, cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces and split them lengthwise. Pull out the woody string in the center.
  2. Boil. Cover with cold water, add the salt and boil 20–25 minutes until tender and some pieces start to split open. Drain and put on a platter.
  3. Make the mojo. Mash the garlic with a pinch of salt and mix with the sour orange juice and cumin. Heat the olive oil until shimmering, add the onion for 30 seconds, then pour it carefully over the garlic mixture.
  4. Dress. Spoon the hot mojo and onions over the yuca right away and serve.

Photo: @joefoodie · CC BY 2.0

More ways to cook Bigmouth Sleeper

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Arecibo, Puerto RicoPuerto Rican Fried Guavina
Ciudad Bolívar, VenezuelaVenezuelan River Fish in Sofrito Sauce
Recôncavo, Bahia, BrazilBrazilian River-Fish Moqueca