There is something particularly satisfying about cooking a whole fish until the skin is crisp and golden, then letting a bright dressing cut through all that richness. These sardines are lightly coated in a flour and cornflour mix before being fried until beautifully crisp, then finished with a punchy lemon, garlic and olive oil dressing.

CORNFLOUR IS THE SECRET TO CRISPY COATING

Mixing cornflour with flour gives the sardines a lighter, crunchier crust than flour alone. The key is to coat the fish just before frying and make sure your oil is properly hot so the coating crisps quickly without absorbing too much oil.

The dressing does the other half of the work: fresh lemon juice and zest, plenty of garlic and pepper bring acidity and brightness to balance the richness of the fried fish.

INGREDIENTS

For the sardines

  • Fresh whole sardines, cleaned

  • Equal parts flour and cornflour

  • Salt

  • Black pepper

  • Canola oil, for deep frying

For the dressing

  • 3 parts extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 2 garlic cloves

  • Salt

  • Black pepper

METHOD

  • Pat the sardines dry and season generously with salt and pepper.

  • Combine equal parts flour and cornflour in a bowl and season with a little salt and pepper.

  • Coat each sardine lightly in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

  • Heat the canola oil in a deep pot or fryer until hot. Fry the sardines in batches until golden brown and crisp. Avoid overcrowding the oil, as this will lower the temperature and prevent the fish from crisping properly.

  • Remove the sardines and drain on a wire rack or paper towel.

  • To make the dressing, add the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper to a jug. Use an immersion blender to emulsify until slightly thickened. You can also do this in a regular blender or a whisk.

  • Serve the sardines immediately, generously drizzled with the lemon and olive oil dressing.

AT THE TABLE

Serve hot and crispy with the dressing spooned generously over the top. Add a simple green salad, crusty bread or some roasted potatoes and you've got a very good lunch.

And yes, eat the head too, it’s crispy and delicious 😌

Love,

V

Comment