You can enjoy fried sardines with daal and rice, or with sada roti and hop bread. It’s also delicious with homemade pepper sauce or lime pepper sauce. If you don’t have sardines available, you can use small fish such as sprats, small herring, fried-dried (that’s what they call it in Trinidad), or smelt like I used in this recipe.
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A Short Story About Sardines
We have just returned from a short stay, in one of our favorite Italian cities. A very unique place, unlike any other city we have been to. In addition to its amazing architecture and breathtaking scenery, It is famous for its fresh seafood, and I make the most of the abundance of seafood each time I go there.
On the day of our return, we visited the famous fish market to purchase some seafood to take home. A few days before our visit, we had a discussion about how we should do our seafood shopping, but I was the one who prepared the food, so I had the final say. We decided to take home the freshly fried sardines along with the octopus, scallops, and St. Peter’s fillets.
Fried Sardines
I’ve seen sardines cooked in almost every way in the Venetian wine bars we’ve visited. Sardines are a very popular fish, served as (finger food) in bacilli (wine bars) and as a sauce used to top pasta in restaurants.
I had planned to buy whole fresh sardines and wash them myself at home, but this is a step I haven’t tackled yet – only €5. To fillet the fish yourself at home, first cut off the head, then cut the sides to remove the spines and guts. Sardines are sold openly like a book and are often stuffed and fried, or as in this recipe, fried unstuffed.
It’s delicious with just a wedge of scallops, but I decided to make a flavorful sauce or aioli to accompany it. I use a hand blender to make most of these types of sauces. These sardines are delicious warm or at room temperature.
Sardines
Sardines are probably one of the best-known foods also in the Moroccan diet. They are cheap, ubiquitous, and enjoyed by every Moroccan household at least once a week. It’s easy to see why. Because it’s delicious, versatile, and nutritious. Crispy fried sardines marinated in chermoula are probably one of my favorite recipes.
Try them out and we hope you will like them too.
Eat More Sardines
Sardines are packed with health benefits. Sardines are delicious, rich in vitamin B12, omega-3, and protein, and unlike much other fish, they are low in mercury and toxins, so there is no downside.
Not to mention low in calories. In short, it’s a great choice if you want to manage your weight.
You should try these different Sardines Recipes like Sardine Sandwich.
Fried Sardines Recipe
A great summer dish that evokes Mediterranean holidays. Fresh, tangy, and flavorful, this dish is perfect for eating al fresco on a sunny patio. It’s also great for eating indoors if the weather ruins his seafood barbecue plans.
Ingredients
PARSLEY CAPER SAUCE: (OPTIONAL)
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 1 Teaspoon Capers
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
- 1/2 to 3/4 Cup Olive Oil
- Salt & Pepper
- 1/3 Cup Chopped Parsley Leaves
SARDINES
- 12 Fresh Sardines Cleaned
- 1/2 Cup Flour Seasoned With Salt & Pepper
- 2 Eggs, Lightly Beaten
- 1 Cup Fresh Breadcrumbs
- 1/2 Cup Oil For Frying
Directions
- For the sauce, put egg yolks, capers, and lemon juice in a small glass
- Mix with a hand blender until smooth. Start adding the olive oil slowly and pulse until you have a smooth, thick sauce
- Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley. Pulse the parsley until almost blended, but the specks will still be visible
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little lemon juice or water to taste and refrigerate in a covered bowl until used
- Rinse the sardines and pat dry. Put soft flour in a plastic bag, add 2 to 3 sardines at a time, and shake until the powder is gone
- In a small bowl, beat eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. Put the crumbs in another bowl. Dip sardines, one at a time, into the egg mixture and then into breadcrumbs until coated
- Place the breaded sardines on a tray. Continue until the sardines are covered
- Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and fry as many sardines as you can fit in one layer over medium-high heat until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes
- Carefully flip the sardines over and fry the other side
- Place the fried sardines on paper towels and continue to cook all the sardines
- Arrange the sardines with the sauce on a plate and serve
FAQs | Fried Sardines
Grease a medium-sized frying pan with a high rim and heat over medium-high heat. (Add cornmeal to test temperature; oil should start bubbling quickly.) Place sardines in cornmeal until coated and shake off excess oil. Fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes on each side.
Sardines are certainly fishy, but that’s to be expected. They are fleshy, dense, and have an oily texture. Canned varieties are slightly saltier but much less salty than anchovies or herring.
Sardines are a healthy cooked food rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, protein, and calcium. They are an inexpensive way to get a whole host of nutrients!
Conclusion | Fried Sardines
You don’t have any excuse now for not trying out this delicious and crispy fried sardines recipe. Do try it out and let me know when you like it.
Also do read the following few other related articles.