10 Ways to Cook Sardines for Those Who Don’t Like Them

Think sardines are only for grandma’s sandwiches or camping parties? Think again! Forget the clichés and let yourself be surprised by sardines, which add a touch of flavor to your summer meals.

Sardines: An Underrated Delight

Sardines are often overlooked, but they offer a delicate taste and are rich in nutrients. Whether you’re a fan or a skeptic, there are many ways to prepare them to please every palate. This small but mighty fish is an excellent source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Sardines are also environmentally friendly because they reproduce quickly and are abundant.

Summer is the ideal season to cook sardines, as they are at their peak in terms of freshness and flavor. Their delicate taste and tender texture lend themselves perfectly to light, summery dishes. In addition, They are often more affordable in summerwhich allows you to take advantage of their excellent value for money.

Sardines have a strong smell, making them perfect for outdoor cooking, especially for summer barbecues and planchas!

Barbecue of grilled sardines with lemon and herbs (for 4 people)

• 12 fresh sardines
• 2 lemons
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 bunch of parsley
• Salt and pepper

Clean and gut the sardines, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Finely chop the garlic and parsley. Mix the olive oil, garlic, parsley, juice of two lemons, salt and pepper. Brush the sardines with this mixture and leave to marinate for 15 minutes. Grill the sardines for about 3 minutes on each side on your barbecue, until golden brown. Serve immediately, accompanied by lemon wedges.

Mediterranean Marinade

Thinly slice peppers and onion. In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté until soft. Add paprika, salt and pepper, then mix well. Arrange the sardine fillets on a plate, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Cover the sardines with the pepper and onion mixture, then leave to marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Serve cold, garnished with fresh basil leaves.

You can cook them in the oven by preheating the grill to medium-high heat

Sardine rillettes (for 6 people)

• 300 g of sardines cooked on the barbecue or in the oven
• 100 g of fresh cheese
• 1 shallot
• 1 tablespoon of old-fashioned mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 bunch of chives
• Salt and pepper

Remove the skin and bones from the sardines. Thinly slice the shallot and chop the chives. In a bowl, mash the sardines with a fork. Add the cream cheese, shallot, mustard, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper. Mix well until smooth. Serve the rillettes on toast or fresh bread.

(You can make this recipe with canned sardines)

Sardines in pasta are a revelation

They go perfectly with pasta, bringing a tasty taste and an original touch to your dishes: add a tasty twist to your pasta dishes!
Pasta with Sardines and Cherry Tomatoes are loved by children. Brown your fresh sardines, cleaned and cut into pieces, in 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 2 cloves of minced garlic. Add 200 g of cherry tomatoes cut in half and simmer until tender. Add the sardines to the pasta, add fresh basil, salt and pepper.

For an original version, add fresh spinach and lemon instead of cherry tomatoes. Even more daring, pasta with sardines, zucchini and mint. In the pan cooking your sardines, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove and 2 diced zucchini. Sauté until tender. Add the drained pasta to the sardines and zucchini, then add chopped fresh mint.

Sardines in a Parmesan crust (for 4 people)

• 12 fresh sardines
• 100 g grated parmesan
• 100 g breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Clean and gut the sardines, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Mix the grated Parmesan and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Beat the eggs in another bowl and pour the flour into a third bowl. Dip the sardines in the flour, then in the beaten eggs, and finally in the Parmesan and breadcrumb mixture. Arrange the sardines on a baking tray lined with baking paper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sardines are golden brown. Serve immediately, accompanied by a green salad.

These recipes show that sardines can be delicious in a variety of forms. Give them a try and you might discover a new way to enjoy this little fish!

Rolled sardine fillets: original and refreshing ideas

To reinvent fresh sardine fillets, try these three delicious recipes. For the Sardine fillets rolled with lemon and herbsseason 12 sardine fillets with salt, pepper, lemon zest, and fresh herbs such as parsley and basil before rolling them up and securing them with toothpicks. Brown them in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side, then serve them hot with a green salad.
THE Sardine fillets rolled with goat cheese and walnuts involve spreading 100g of fresh goat’s cheese on the sardines, adding chopped walnuts and a little honey, then rolling them up and securing them with toothpicks. Cook them in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side, and serve with grilled vegetables.

Finally, for the Sardine fillets rolled with tomato and basilspread a thin layer of tomato paste on the fillets, add basil leaves, roll the fillets and secure with toothpicks. Cook them in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side, and serve with pasta or rice.

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Original recipes: what to do with a can of sardines?