Escovitch Fish & Hard dough Bread

In the last blog I mentioned that on Good Friday we don't cook in my family and that prepared foods such as bun & cheese and escovitch fish with hard dough bread.   Now I have to be honest here.  I've made the fish but I've NEVER made the bread, however I do have a recipe for it which I will share here.

Fish:

2 lbs  or 5-6 medium sized whole Snapper (Cleaned with the head and tail on.)

1 1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

3 garlic

1 lb or 2 Onions (thinly sliced)

1/4 lb or 3 scotch Bonnet Pepper (Habanero or the hottest pepper that you can find in your area.)

Pimento (you may choose to substitute with cloves.)

1/2 cup Cooking oil (Such as olive oil)

1 cup White Vinegar

Wash fish in generous amounts of vinegar & water

Dry fish with a paper towel and place on a plate

Cut a small deep gash on each side of the fish

Rub salt and black pepper on the outside and in the cavities then put the fish on a plate or shallow bowl.

Place oil in a frying pan (not enough to submerge in oil - as the fish is not being deep fried)

Place heat on high and add cloves of garlic.  

Fry on each side of the fish crispy (turn down the heat as necessary) - Apx 3 minutes on each side.  Cook each side before turning.

Place the fried fish on a plate with dry paper towels

Slice onions, pepper - place this along with pimento into a small pot with vinegar and boil for Apx 5 min. Pour contents over fried fish.

Yields 4 servings

NOTE:Put a stick of cinnamon in a pot of boiling water to alleviate the smell of the frying fish.

This recipe is a contribution from the Spanish Jews who lived on the island nearly 

500 years ago.  

HARD DOUGH BREAD:

11/2 lbs all purpose or Apx 6 cups bread flour

1 pack yeast (Apx 2 tblsp)

1 tsp salt

1 pt warm water

1/4 cup sugar

4 oz shortening - vegetable 

milk or egg white for glazing

Pour flour in a warm bowl

Add shortening to flour and cut in half 

Add yeast, sugar & salt

Add warm water

Knead until soft & roll out

Place in a warm place, cover with a damp cloth, to rise twice in size, 1-2 hours.

Glaze

Bake at 350F until done - Apx 30-40 minutes or golden brown

This recipe was brought to Jamaica by the Chinese.

See yuh lata Mon!

Eater Bun & Cheese

The Easter holiday will be celebrated in Jamaica this year 4/10-4/13/09.  That's right the celebration starts on Good Friday and includes Easter Monday.  My recollection is lots of celebration and food.  Well, actually, on Good Friday in our house we didn't cook.  On Good Friday the only thing that we ate was:

Bun and Cheese,&/or escovitch fish with Hard dough bread. (I'll post on this in a future blog.)

So I thought I'd share with you a bun recipe if you'd like to try your hand at it.

3 1/2 coups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

4tsp Baking powder

1 cup stout or beer

1 egg (beaten)

2 tblsp melted butter or Margarine

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup maraschino cherries

1 cup raisins, mixed peel, cheery (combine fruits to equal one cup)

1/2 tsp ground allspice

pinch of salt

1 tblsp nutmeg

1/2 tablsp cinnamon

1/2 tblsp rose water

1/2 tblsp anise extract

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, spices and sugar.  Mix thoroughly and add fruit.  Create a well in the center of the mixture and add melted butter and beaten egg. Mix again until it reaches a texture like coarse bread crumbs.  Make another well in the center of this mixture and add beer/stout.  mix the whole thoroughly and pour into a well greased baking meatloaf/bread pan(s).  Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 1/4 hours.  This recipe should yield two buns.  Reserve some cherries, press whole cherries into the top of each bun. Slice like freshly baked bread and serve with cheese.  

If you don't wish to go through the trouble of baking your own bun, then you may want to just buy one. Many stores that carry Jamaican products, carry bun and cheese. However,  at this time of the year you may want to buy yours early. In fact, you may have to order yours. 

See yuh lata Mon!