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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
5 minutes
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Serves
6
Author Notes
Fancy, fast, full of flavor and NO FUSS. This dish is made with ingredients that feature in cuisines from all over the world. I drew my inspiration from the Mediterranean coast where sardines and sage are found in a variety of dishes from Italy to Lebanon and many lands in between. —snewms
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Ingredients
- Fried Sardines
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6
fillets of sardines (packed in olive oil)
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6
fresh sage leaves
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2 tablespoons
olive oil
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1 teaspoon
parsley leaves, dried and crushed (usually comes in the spice section)
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2 tablespoons
chives, finely chopped
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zest of 1 lemon
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salt and pepper to taste
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squeeze of lemon
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6 toothpicks
- Salsa Verde
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4
fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
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4 tablespoons
flat-leafed parsley leaves, finely chopped
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1
garlic clove, finely chopped
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2 tablespoons
lemon juice
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salt and pepper to taste
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1 dash
aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper flakes).
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1/4 cup
olive oil
Directions
- Fried Sardines
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chop chives and set aside (they will be used for garnish).
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zest lemon, set aside (it will also be used as garnish).
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gently remove each sardine fillet from its container and wrap the middle of each sardine with 1 sage leaf, pinning it together with the toothpick, just as you would use a safety pin.
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heat oil in pan on medium heat until it starts to lightly smoke (you can always check the heat of the oil by letting a drop of water fall into the oil and if it sizzles, the oil has reached a good frying temperature).
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place each wrapped sardine in oil and fry until lightly browned and crispy on each side (this will take anywhere from 2-4 minutes depending on the temperature of your oil. you can check them periodically by lifting them up, but don't flip until they've reached desired color and crisp.)
**if your pan is small, work in batches.
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once you have finished frying each fillet on both sides, transfer them to a plate/board/temporary platform while you construct the final plate and squeeze some lemon juice on top.
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spoon some of the salsa verde into the center of your serving dish (flat plate, wide/shallow bowl, board)
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thoughtfully place each fillet on the bed of sauce, leaving a bit of space in between. (i choose not to remove the toothpick, but feel free to take it out if you'd like).
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sprinkle the fish generously with the chives, dried parsley, and lemon zest and finish with just a touch of flakey sea salt.
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OPTIONAL: I like to also garnish mine with a bit of preserved lemon. It adds another layer to the depth of flavor, bright, slightly bitter and a wonderful texture.
- Salsa Verde
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finely chop all your herbs, set aside in small bowl
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chop garlic clove and add it to the herbs
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add olive oil, lemon juice, salt, peppers and mix well. taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
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set aside.
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