Grilled Sardines with Spicy Black Olive and Tomato Salsa Cruda
Sardines. They’re a mess to clean – little scales everywhere – and yield such a small amount per fish. But how flavorful they are, and cheap as well – $7/pound where I buy my fish, which is about 10 or 11 sardines. Sardines are also special to me because they’re the first fish I learned to clean and fillet.
The salsa cruda included in this recipe is a very nice, superbly fresh-tasting condiment. I’m adding it to my repertory and think it will have many uses, with chicken, pork, other fish, etc.
Heat & Knives
The Recipe
Source: The Red Cat Cookbook
12 fresh whole sardines, about 5 ounces each, cleaned and gutted by your fishmonger [or by yourself, if you don't mind a little grunt work]
½ cup olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
salt
freshly ground black pepper
salsa cruda (recipe follows)
lemon wedges, for serving
Marinate and Grill the Sardines:
Put the sardines in a baking dish or other shallow vessel. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice and scatter the zest, red pepper flakes, garlic, and oregano over them. Turn them to coat with the marinade and let marinate for 1 hour.
Preheat a gas grill to high, or prepare a charcoal grill for grilling, letting the coals burn until covered with white ash.
Remove the sardines from the marinade and brush off any solids. Season with salt and pepper and grill until cooked through, approximately 3 minutes per side.
Divide the salsa cruda evenly among serving plates. Top with sardines, crossing them over the salsa. Serve right away, with lemon wedges alongside.
Salsa Cruda:
Makes about 4 ½ cups
2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup pitted, chopped black olives
½ small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
¼ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
¼ yellow bell pepper, or an additional ¼ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
½ small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
1 tablespoon sliced basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Put all of the ingredients in a bowl, gently toss, cover, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
