Generally speaking, escabeche is a method used for flavoring (and preserving—but we don’t use it for this purpose) fish after it has been cooked. It’s great with dark-fleshed fish like mackerel, tuna, and bluefish, but it also works nicely with cod and even flatfish like flounder. All that changes is the cooking time, and, of course, the flavor. Serve this as part of a buffet with other South American or almost any Western European dishes.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds mackerel fillets, with or without skin

　　Flour for dredging

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　10 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed

　　2 bay leaves

　　5 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried

　　1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

　　1 cup red wine vinegar or other vinegar

　　1 cup red wine

　　1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 160), or water

　　

Step 1

Put about 1/2 cup of the oil in a large nonstick skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. About 3 minutes later, when the oil is hot, dredge the fillets lightly in the flour and add them, one at a time, to the skillet. Do not crowd: it’s likely you’ll have to cook in batches. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper as they cook. As the fillets brown, turn them and brown the other side. Total cooking time for each fillet will be about 6 minutes. When the fish are done, transfer them to a platter or gratin dish; they may overlap slightly.

　　

Step 2

Cool the pan and wipe it out. Add the remaining oil and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to turn color. Add the bay leaves, thyme, and cayenne and stir; add the vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer for a minute. Add the wine, bring back to a boil, and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the stock, bring back to a boil, and cook quickly to reduce the mixture to about half its volume.

　　

Step 3

Pour the liquid over the fish. Let cool to room temperature and serve or cover and refrigerate for up to a couple of days, bringing it back to room temperature before serving.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.