Sardine Pate
8 whole sardines, cleaned and filleted, skin removed (about 350g)
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1/2 bunch of spring onions finely chopped
pinch of chilli powder
70g butter, salted or unsalted, at room temperature
3tbs extra virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Arrange the sardines in the single layer in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for about eight minutes until just cooked.
Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
Pulse the sardines in a food processor, or mash them with a fork, along with the shallots, spring onions, chilli powder, butter and olive oil, until relatively smooth but still a bit chunky. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and taste, adjusting the seasoning to your liking. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl and chill for at least eight hours, or overnight.
Let it come back to room temperature before serving.
Storage: The pate can be kept in the refrigerator for up to three days, or frozen for up to one month.
Grilled Sardines with quinoa salad and sauce nantua
12 filleted sardines
Salt and pepper to taste
2tbs olive oil
For the salad:
50g quinoa
2tsp finely chopped onion
2tsp finely chopped mixed red and green pepper
100ml water
2tsp butter
1tsp finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
(Makes about four cups of sauce)
1/2 cup, dry white wine or dry vermouth
2 tbs minced shallots (or substitute white onion)
3/4 stick unsalted butter
7tbs flour (1/2 cup less 1tbs if that’s easier to measure)
2 cups, fish fumet (fish broth) or 240ml of clam broth
1 cup milk (or substitute half-and-half for a richer sauce)
1 cup heavy or whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley to garnish
After cleaning the sardines, dry them with a kitchen towel and season with salt and pepper. Rub olive oil on to the fish and fry until fully cooked.
For the salad, boil the quinoa in water and salt for 7 minutes. Strain and allow to cool. Fry onions and peppers in butter until translucent. Mix the onions, peppers, chives and the quinoa together and season with salt and pepper. Place in refrigerator to cool.
Serve by placing vegetables in the middle of the plate, top with quinoa salad and balance the sardines on the salad. Spoon the heated sauce over half the fish and serve.
Natal curried sardines
1kg fresh sardines gutted and scaled
150g onion finely chopped
120ml sunflower oil
350g grated tomato
100ml fish stock/water
5 green chillies
10ml lemon juice
50g tamarind soaked in water and drained
60g crushed garlic
20g crushed ginger
5g fenugreek powder
20g fenugreek seeds
15g jeera powder
10g dhania powder
50ml soya sauce
15g turmeric powder
80g mixed fish Masala
20g fresh curry leaves
15 sprigs of fresh dhania
Heat oil, add the onions and fenugreek seeds and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric, jeera and dhania powder and cook until fragrant.
Add fish masala and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add stock/water if required. Add the tomato, and cook until a sauce consistency is achieved.
Pour in the lemon juice, soya and tamarind paste and simmer for 5 minutes.
Top the sauce with the sardines and the curry leaves and cook for 8 minutes. Season with salt.
Finish curry with the fenugreek powder and the coriander. - The Mercury