Escabeche: What is it?

Escabeche is a technique that is essentially the addition of vinegar to preserve food. The acidity of the vinegar and the process of escabechado (pickling) give the food, whether it is meat or fish, a delicious flavor, in addition to being preserved for a longer period of time.

Ortiz’s history is closely linked to pickled fish. Back in 1850, the family’s ancestors were already working with this technique in Mutriku and Ondárroa, two fishing villages on the Basque coast. This long-standing tradition, preserved throughout the generations, is the best guarantee that our escabeches have been made with mastery and care for more than 130 years.

Escabeche: The origins

To trace the origin of this peculiar preservation method, we must go back to the times when the current refrigeration methods did not exist—too much time elapsed between the fish arriving at the port and then the subsequent points of sale across the country. The need to distribute it in suitable conditions led to the development of new preservation techniques, among which the marinade, which has survived to the present day, stood out.

A very modern taste

Today, escabeche is still a highly appreciated form of preparation in Spain. In fact, escabeche is experiencing a revival. Classic dishes have been rediscovered, and just as ceviche, tartar or all kinds of marinades grace the tables of half the world, escabeche is also in vogue.

We invite you to taste Conservas Ortiz’s escabeche specialties, including our mackerel in escabeche, with its intense flavor and aroma, making it unmistakable in any dish. It is perfect with lettuce in salads, as a vinaigrette on vegetables, with pasta, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, beans, etc. It is also ideal for delicious appetizers such as mackerel with spring onions and black olives, mackerel with Cantabrian anchovies, mackerel and white tuna brochette or mackerel with piperrada.