I love sardines! First of all, they are simply delicious, aren’t way? It is true, this small fish requires a bit more work then the seabass but it is full of flavor! There are so many ways to serve it from simply grilled to pasta sauce, homemade canned sardines, pickled, escabeche. 

Secondly, this fish is packed with nutrients that are essential for your health: protein,calcium, iron and potassium, significant amount of vitamin B12. In addition to this, sardines are loaded with omega-3 fats. At the same time they are low in mercury.

Last but not least – it is sustainable fish, recommended by Quick Fish Guide.

Enjoy this goodness!

Serves 4

• 4 large sardines
• 3 shallots
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 large plum tomatoes
• 150 ml sunflower oil
• 50 g semolina flour
• 2tsp sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• Wide strip of unwaxed lemon zest
• Wide strip of unwaxed orange zest
• 150 ml dry white wine
• 50 ml cider vinegar
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Method:

1. First thing first you need to debone sardines. You can simply fillet or butterfly fish and using fish tweezer remove as many bones as you can.
2. To butterfly sardines, descale and gut them if necessary, remove the dorsal fin and wash very well under a cold running water.
3. Place the fish skin side up so opened belly will be against the working surface.
4. To release the backbone run your thumb along it from tail to head.
5. Turn the fish over and using kitchen scissors snip the backbone right behind the head and at the tail.
6. Very carefully pull the backbone from the head towards the tail.
7. Remove other small bones with fish tweezers. Wash the fish and pat it dry.

For escabeche

1. Peel and very finely slice the shallots and garlic.
2. Cut tomatoes in a quarters, remove the seeds and then dice it.
3. Heat the sunflower oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat.
4. Season semolina with salt and pepper and transfer it on the shallow dish. Take a pat dried fish and coat it in flour, shaking away any excess. Cook for 2 minutes on 1 side, flip it over and cook for 1 more minute. Lift it carefully and transfer to a shallow dish (nonmetallic) big enough to hold the fish in one layer.
5. Sauté the onions in the same dish until soft but not browned, add garlic and cook for couple of minutes. Add the paprika, bay leaf and citrus zest and cook for a minute. Add tomatoes.
6. Add wine and vinegar, let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly, then pour it over the fish and leave at the room temperature for about an hour. Cover with a cling film and put in the fridge for at least 12 hours.

This is not going to be a recipe as such, but a quick idea for lunch. I think I’ve already said before how much I like the type of food prepared in advance, so when I’m in a hurry I can just throw everything together on a plate and, as a result, have a decent healthy meal ready! I usually buy a big batch of mackerel and prepare escabeche, which could be easily kept in the fridge for three days and taste even better on the second day! This time I’ve decided to poach the fish in a simple court bouillon and serve it later on a toast or in a salad. Poached fish does not last as long as the marinated one but if you are going to eat it on the next day, it’s absolutely alright.

Few words about my beloved mackerel, which is also recommended by fish4tomorrow’s Quickfish guide, which surely needs to be used more often. Mackerel is a great source of Phosphorus, Protein, Vitamin D, Niacin, Vitamin B12 and Selenium. It is also a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and simply tasty fish!

I am glad to share this featured recipe of fish al cartoccio by Adrian Hili with you, my lovely readers. I strongly encourage you to give it a try as it takes neither time, nor efforts for preparation, at the same time fills the fish with succulent aromatic Mediterranean flavours. Enjoy!

Summer laziness has almost  reached its highest point. Well…at least in my case. Too lazy to turn the oven on, too lazy to cook but never too lazy to eat!

Here is one of the simplest dishes you can prepare without any serious efforts but the result will really be more than satisfying. Perhaps, the hardest thing you could find in this recipe would be scarping out the seeds from the tomatoes!

I like to prepare this ceviche style dish in the morning and when it is time for lunch all I need to do is to season it and toast some bread.