SeafoodMediumFree

Pámpano en Escabeche (Pompano in Pickled Onion Brine)

Name: Pámpano en Escabeche (Pompano in Pickled Onion Brine)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 800 g Pomfret; 2 White Onion; 4 cloves Garlic; 120 ml White Vinegar; 2 Güero Chilli; 2 leaves Bay leaf; 5 Allspice; 100 ml Vegetable Oil; 1 tsp Salt; 0.5 tsp Cumin; 1 tsp Mexican oregano; 200 g Rice; 8 Corn Tortilla

55 min (20 prep + 35 cook) Medium 4 servings Campeche

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 12 May 2026

Fried pompano fish marinated in onion and spice escabeche from Campeche.

About this recipe

Pámpano en escabeche is a traditional Campeche preparation where pompano fish is fried then marinated in a mixture of onion, vinegar, spices and chillies, resulting in a sweet-sour and aromatic dish.

History & Origin

Escabeche is a preservation and seasoning technique introduced to Mexico by the Spanish during the colonial period, and it found its finest expression along the Gulf and Caribbean coasts with local seafood. In Campeche, the pompano - a fine-flavoured fish with prized white flesh, popular along the Gulf of Mexico coast - became the ideal candidate for escabeche, giving rise to one of the most iconic dishes in Campechano cuisine. The technique involves frying the whole fish or fillets until golden, then submerging them in a hot marinade of vinegar, onion, garlic, herbs and spices such as allspice, cinnamon and cloves. Xcatic and habanero chillies provide the characteristic heat of the Yucatán Peninsula. Pámpano en escabeche is served both warm and at room temperature, and can be prepared in advance as it improves with resting. In the restaurants of the historic centre of San Francisco de Campeche, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this dish is presented in black Campechano clay alongside white rice and freshly made tortillas. It is a preparation that synthesises the mestizo culinary heritage of Campeche, where Spanish and Maya traditions fuse in every mouthful.

Estimated cost

£13.50

Total cost

£3.38

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

290

Calories

28g

Protein

10g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

1.5g

Fibre

520mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Limpia y sazona los filetes de pámpano o el pescado entero con sal, pimienta y comino. Deja reposar 10 minutos.
2
Calienta el aceite en una sartén grande a fuego medio-alto. Fríe el pámpano 4-5 minutos por cada lado hasta que esté bien dorado. Retira y reserva en un molde.
💡 No muevas el pescado hasta que esté bien dorado para evitar que se rompa.
3
En el mismo aceite, sofríe la cebolla cortada en aros gruesos y el ajo laminado durante 5 minutos a fuego medio hasta que estén transparentes pero firmes.
4
Añade el vinagre, las hojas de laurel, pimienta gorda, orégano y los chiles güeros enteros o partidos a la mitad. Cocina 3 minutos a fuego medio.
5
Vierte el escabeche caliente sobre el pámpano frito. Asegúrate de que el pescado quede bien cubierto con la cebolla y el líquido.
💡 Para una versión más intensa, deja marinar en refrigeración al menos 2 horas antes de servir.
6
Sirve el pámpano en escabeche tibio o a temperatura ambiente sobre arroz blanco, con tortillas calientes al lado.