Cooking sardines
Whether fresh or canned, sardines are inexpensive and, above all, easy to cook. With their pronounced taste, many people love sardines. If you buy them canned, the sardines have marinated in oil for several days, which gives them an even more intense taste. Also, canned sardines are ready to eat.
If you buy sardines “fresh” (and not canned), some preparation is required. Rinse in cold water and empty the sardines of their entrails. Brush them with olive oil, salt and pepper and cook them. In a pan, 3 minutes on each side or in the oven, 15 to 20 minutes at 200°C. For more flavor, add some herbs and lemon zest on the sardines.
Sardines, canned, browned in the oven or grilled on the griddle, can be added, for example, to a fresh salad or as an accompaniment to ratatouille. Otherwise, it is quite possible to cook sardines in rillettes, soup, or even meatballs! Enough to vary the way of serving fish on the plate and of course, enjoy all the sauces.
Reusing sardine oil
When you buy canned sardines, you are also buying their canning oil. It is considered a simple means of preservation, and yet, the oil in canned sardines is reusable. Don’t throw it away, it represents 18% of the usable content of cans of sardines! Use it directly to oil the bottoms of your pans before any cooking, prepare a vinaigrette with balsamic vinegar and a little salt; or enhance the taste of homemade mayonnaise.
Grilled sardines with marjoram olive oil
© Grégoire Kalt
To fully enjoy the taste of sardines, cook them on the griddle! Serve as a starter with a drizzle of olive oil and cubes of grilled peppers.
Discover our recipe for sardines on the plancha, marjoram olive oil
Sardine balls
© Brigitte Baudesson
Beautiful sardine balls spiced with paprika, cumin, parsley and coriander, for superb oriental cuisine.
Discover our recipe for sardine balls
Pasta with Sardinian
© Valery Guedes
Are you a pasta lover and love sardines? Prepare sardines in a pan with a little pasta cooking water, fennel, onion and saffron; and add the pasta to the mixture. A beautiful sauce flavored with sardines!
Discover our recipe for pasta con sarde
