The sardines have arrived and we could not be happier. Chef Memory Bepee of Estuary Hotel and Spa in Port Edward creates a sardine-inspired menu for IOL Lifestyle readers:
Herbed parmesan crust sardines with lemon caper hollandaise sauce
Ingredients
Lemon and caper hollandaise sauce
150g butter (warm)
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped capers
Salt and pepper
Method
Whisk eggs yolks in a saucepan for a minute then gradually add warm butter. Let it cool and add the lemon juice and capers. Season and set aside.
Sardines
Ingredients
8 butterflied sardines
1 ½ cups bread crumbs
½ parmesan cheese
40g chopped fresh parsley
10g thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
Lemon
1 cup olive oil for pan frying
Method
Scale sardine and scrape under running water. Prepare the sardines and remove the innards. Use scissors to remove the backbone. Remove the head and butterfly the sardines. Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan, and the herbs. Season the butterflied sardines. Dust the sardines in flour, dip in egg then coat with breadcrumb mixture. Heat the oil and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with lemon hollandaise sauce and chips. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Pickled sardines
Pickled Sardines. Picture: Saltwater Fish Company. Note: This is a mere representation of how the dish may look.
Ingredients
Pickled sauce
4 onions (cut into rings)
1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
5 tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons spirit Vinegar
Salt to taste
15 black peppercorns
5 bay leaves
4 tablespoons Brown sugar
2 red chillies
1 tablespoon Mild curry (rajah)
2 tablespoons Turmeric
1 ½ tablespoons cumin
4 shrubs of thyme
500ml water
Method
Heat oil in a pot and cook onion until soft. Add bay leaves, black peppercorns, chopped garlic and ginger and cook for two minutes. Add all the spices, thyme and the chillies cook for two more minutes. Add water and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Pour in a container and chill overnight.
Sardines
Ingredients
1kg sardines
Cooking oil for deep-frying
Batter
1 cup plain flour
Salt and pepper
1 cup beer
1 egg
Batter method
Sift flour into a large sauce bowl. Add salt and pepper. Make a well in the centre and pour the beer. Add the egg and mix together. Refrigerate and use for the sardines.
Method
Scale sardine and scrape under running water.Prepare the sardines and remove the innards. Use scissors to remove the backbone. Removed the head and cut sardines into small portions. Heat the oil to 180 degrees Celsius. Dip the portioned sardines into the batter. Deep-fry until lightly golden and the fish is cooked through. Drain the fish on a paper towel. Pour the pickled sauce on the battered sardines. Garnish with chopped spring onion. Serve cold with baked potatoes.
Lemon and dill Sardines on the braai
Lemon and dill Sardines on the braai. Picture: Pinterest. Note: This is a mere representation of how the dish may look.
Ingredients
4 sardines
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
2 cloves garlic
¼ cup white wine
2 sliced lemons
1 teaspoon paprika
Foil
Method
Scale sardine and scrape under running water. Prepare the sardines and remove the innards. Diagonally cut the sardines. Stuff the sardine cavity with sliced lemons, dill and cloves. Cut sections across the sardines. Drizzle with olive oil and white wine. Sprinkle the paprika onto the sardines. Season with salt and pepper. Place the sardines on the foil and cover through the sardines. Place on hot coals two or three minutes on each side. Remove the foil and serve the sardines with pap and chakalaka.
Sardine Thai coconut curry
Sardine Thai coconut curry. Picture: Ruchik Randhap. Note: This is a mere representation of how the dish may look.
Ingredients
1 onion chopped
1 teaspoon chopped Garlic
1 teaspoon ginger
5 tablespoons olive oil
1 ½ cups coconut milk
5 curry leaves
1kg boneless sardines
2 tablespoon Lemon juice
Thai green paste
Green chillies (sliced)
Salt to taste
50ml water
20g coriander leaves
Method
Heat oil in a pot and cook onion until soft. Add chopped garlic and ginger, cook for two minutes. Add the Thai green paste cook for one minute. Add water and simmer for a minute. Add coconut milk and bring to boil. Add the sardines and the curry leaves and cook for 5-8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and the green chillies. Serve with steamed basmati rice.
Note: These recipes serve four people.