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Spain · Blue Runner

Andalusian Paprika Escabeche

Jurel en Escabeche

Before refrigerators, Andalusian fishermen kept their catch in escabeche: fried fish covered in a warm bath of olive oil, vinegar, garlic and smoky paprika. It’s still a favorite cold tapa in Huelva.

  • Prep 20 min + 12 hrs resting
  • Cook 25 min
  • Serves 4–6
  • Level Easy
Photo: Obsidian Soul · CC0
Served with: Spanish Roasted Pepper Salad ↓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. Fry the fish. Salt the fish, dust with flour and fry in olive oil over medium-high heat 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. Lay the pieces in a deep glass or clay dish.
  2. Flavor the oil. In a clean pan, warm the ¾ cup olive oil and gently fry the garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme and onion 4–5 minutes until the garlic is golden.
  3. Add the paprika. Take the pan off the heat, wait 30 seconds and stir in the paprika. It burns easily, so the pan must not be too hot.
  4. Add the vinegar. Immediately pour in the vinegar, water and salt (stand back, it will spit). Return to the heat and simmer 3 minutes.
  5. Cover and rest. Pour the hot escabeche over the fish so it is covered. Cool, then cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours. Serve cold or at room temperature with bread and pimientos asados.

On the side

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

Spain

Spanish Roasted Pepper Salad

Pimientos Asados

Red peppers roasted until soft and smoky, peeled into silky strips and dressed with garlic and olive oil. A Spanish summer side for grilled fish and sardines.

  • Prep 15 min + 30 min resting
  • Cook 45 min
  • Serves 4–6
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 4 large red bell peppers
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little for roasting
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 1 tsp flaky sea salt
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

How to make it

  1. Roast. Heat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C). Rub the peppers with a little oil and roast 40–45 minutes, turning twice, until the skins are blistered and blackened in spots.
  2. Sweat. Put them in a bowl, cover with a plate and let them sit 20–30 minutes so the skins loosen. Save the juices.
  3. Peel. Peel off the skins, pull out the stems and seeds and tear the flesh into strips.
  4. Dress. Lay the strips on a plate with their juices, the garlic, vinegar, salt and olive oil. Let them marinate at least 30 minutes and finish with parsley.

Photo: Juan Emilio Prades Bel · CC BY-SA 4.0

More ways to cook Blue Runner

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Naguabo, Puerto RicoCrispy Fried Blue Runner, Fishing-Village Style
Lisbon, PortugalLisbon-Style Fried Jacks
Chimbote, PeruPeruvian Jack Sudado