What To Do With Your Bounty From The Sardine Run…

Each Sardine Run season the Kridzil Team is asked our recommendations for preparing this oil-rich fish. We’ve given it some thought and taken a look at online recipes to find a fresh and healthy pairing we think compliments the fresh catch and offers bursts of flavour!

Sicilian-Style Sardines

Ingredients:

• 8 fresh sardines, butterflied
• 4 anchovy fillets
• 85g toasted breadcrumbs
• 50g black olives, pitted and chopped
• 20g fresh parsley, chopped
• 20g fresh mint, diced
• 1 lemon, zest and then slice into rounds
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 25g toasted pine nuts
• 25g sultanas
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 8 bay leaves
• 1 tsp chilli flakes, optional
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 sosatie or cocktail sticks

Method:

1. If you have purchased fresh breadcrumbs or blanched pine nuts, be sure to toast them in the oven or in a pan until golden, to release the nutty flavour and crisp the crumbs.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
3. In a food processor, blitz the: breadcrumbs, olives, parsley, mint, lemon zest, anchovies and garlic. Place into a bowl and add in the pine nuts, sultanas, chilli flakes and salt and pepper.
4. Toss the fennel bulb slices in a little olive oil and arrange in a roasting dish.
5. Lay the sardine’s skin-side-down on a work surface. Spoon some of the crumb mixture onto the fillet, drizzle with a little olive oil and then wrap into a roll, starting from the widest portion of the fish. Secure the rollup with a sosatie or cocktail stick and then press some extra mixture into the sides of the rollup. Repeat with the remaining seven.
6. Place the sardine rollups onto the bed of fennel and scatter the remaining crumb mixture, bay leaves and lemon slices over the top. Season with salt and pepper before baking in the oven for approximately 20 minutes. (Or until the fish fillets are cooked through and the crumb has turned golden).

Serve as a salad or alongside al dente pasta or fresh bread.

Adapted from bbcgoodfood.com