We made this yesterday and while its not as traditional as the escabeche we get in Belize, its pretty darn tasty and healthy and EASY.

3-4 pound whole chicken, or parts, preferably a free-range, organically raised

5 large carrots

2 large yellow or white onions

1 cup apple cider vinegar (white will also work)

3/4 cup soy sauce or tamari

black pepper - lots of it

3 fresh whole jalapeno peppers
3 fresh whole habanero peppers

4-5 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1-2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 head of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

Put two of the bay leaves inside the chicken and rub black pepper all over the outside of the chicken.

Slice the onions 1/2" into rings. Put in bottom of crockpot. Grate the carrots and put on top of the onions. Put the whole chicken on top of the vegetables. Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, thyme, oregano and garlic together and pour over chicken. Drop in the other two bay leaves and the chili peppers (whole) and cover. Cook on high 4 hours.

You can also add shredded cabbage and corn on the cob, whatever you want. Serve with corn tortillas or over brown rice.

Escabeche is so easy to make. Adding the veggies as you suggested makes it so much more delicious and healthy (and less boring) A great soup when it's cold outside. I have never used soy sauce or thyme in mine. Will try it sometime.

I would really appreciate someone posting a classic escabeche recipe.My new favorite salad is cabbage, radish, cilantro, scallion, roasted habenero and lime lime lime. Thanks

There is an excellent traditional Maya escabeche recipe in Joan Fry's book, How to Cook a Tapir. Unfortunately, I've lent my review copy to someone but a little bird told me that the books have arrived on the island today and you can reserve a copy at the bookshop (Pages at Vilma Linda). They will officially go on sale on the 19th during the launch.

But until then here is a recipe from the Toucan Cook Belize

1 chicken 3lb
3-4 onion
1 pt vinegar or a little less
1/2 tsp thyme
6-8 spice seeds (not specified)
8-10 cups of water
oregano leaves
salt and pepper to taste
2 plugs garlic
2-4 jalapeno peppers whole

Cut chicken into serving pieces and fry until evenly brown, then remove from pan or boil the whole chicken in the 8-10 cups of water with 1/2 tsp salt. Remove to oven and bake until brown.
Then remove meat from bones. save stock for step 3. Cut onions into thin slices and soak in vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Pour water into large saucepan and add the seasonings and whole peppers and allow it to boil for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and allow to boil slowly until tender. Add all the onions and vinegar to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot with corn tortillas.

That looks very complicated but I will try. I got a packet of escabeche powder in Belize City. I wonder what that does? Thanks

Will y'all please STOP? You are making me so hungry!

--Lan Sluder

I LOVE escabeche! The more sour the better.

Do you have a good recipe that is simpler than Colly"s? I love it as well and so far Elvi's and El Fogon are tied

I don't fry the chicken first or soak the veggies in vinegar. I basically slice the onions or chunk them and I slice the carrots instead of shredding them, then dump it all in a pot and set the stove on high. The "spice seed" is juniper berries from pickling spice. I think they fry the chicken first because maybe it holds together better, but for me it just adds a step and extra calories.

Would love to find out where we can buy free range chicken? There seems to be a common misconception that all the chicken available is free range. Locals say that is not true, that there are a lot of farms on the mainland now and these chicken are fed hormones to get them to the market quickly.