Sardines With Parsley Oil Food

FRIED SARDINES WITH SPICY DIPPING SAUCE AND FRIED HERBS

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a food processor, combine the sour cream, yogurt, chiles, honey, parsley, salt, lime juice and black pepper, and process until blended and mostly smooth. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• For the sardines: Rinse the sardines and pat dry. Place the flour in a bowl and season it with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon water. Place the breadcrumbs in another bowl. Add 2 to 3 sardines to the flour and toss until lightly coated. Shake off the excess flour. Dip the sardines in the egg mixture, then in the breadcrumbs to coat. Place the breaded sardines on a wire rack. Repeat this process for the remaining sardines.
• Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. In batches, fry the sardines in one layer, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and fry on the other side until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Place the fried sardines on paper towels and season with salt. Repeat for the remaining sardines, adding more oil to the pan if needed.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Fry the capers and parsley until crisped, about 1 minute.
• Plate the sardines and top with some of the chile sauce and fried capers and parsley. Serve with the remaining chile sauce on the side and some lemon wedges.

SARDINES & TOMATOES ON TOAST

Steps:

• Rub each piece of toast with the garlic. In a small bowl, mix the sardines and their oil with the tomatoes and the watercress, then season. Sit half the mixture on each slice of toast, piled high. Scatter over the parsley and squeeze over the lemon, if you like.

SARDINES WITH CHICKPEAS, LEMON & PARSLEY

Steps:

• Season the flour and scatter over a large plate. Dip the sardines in the flour, one at a time. Mix together the lemon zest, parsley and half of the chopped garlic and set aside.
• Put a very large pan (a paella pan is ideal or a large sturdy baking tray with a lip) on top of the barbecue and heat until very hot. Add the oil, heat for a few seconds, then lay the floured sardines in the oil in one layer. Fry for 3 mins until the underside is golden, then turn over and fry for another 3 mins. Lift out of the pan and onto a plate.
• Fry the remaining garlic (add another splash of oil if you need to) for 1 min until softened. Pour in the white wine, scrape any bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and boil for 1 min or until reduced by half.
• Tip in the chickpeas or butter beans and tomatoes, then stir until heated through. Season with plenty of pepper and salt to taste, then nestle the fish back into the pan. Take off the heat, sprinkle with the parsley mix and serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

SARDINE PASTA WITH CRUNCHY PARSLEY CRUMBS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until they start to turn golden. Add another 1 tsp oil and the garlic. Cook, stirring, for a moment, then tip onto a plate and set aside to cool.
• Put a large pan of salted water on to boil. Return the frying pan to a medium heat. Add the remaining 1 tsp olive oil with the rosemary and the sardines. Cook for 2-3 mins, gently breaking up the sardines with a wooden spoon. Pour in the passata, add the olives and leave to simmer gently for about 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook following pack instructions. Stir the parsley and half the Parmesan into the breadcrumbs. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the cooking water. Add a splash of the water to the tomato sauce until it is thin enough to coat the pasta, then stir in the remaining Parmesan. Toss the pasta in the sauce and serve in bowls, each topped with a handful of the crunchy breadcrumbs.

SPAGHETTI WITH SARDINES

Steps:

• Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium pan and cook the garlic for 1 min. Add the chilli flakes, tomatoes and sardines, breaking up roughly with a wooden spoon. Heat for 2-3 mins, then stir in the olives, capers and most of the parsley. Mix well to combine.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a couple of tbsp of the water. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding the reserved water if the sauce is a little thick. Divide between 4 bowls and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.