Sardines Escabeche

Sardines Escabeche

Shopping List:

• 12 fresh sardines [not the tinned variety!]
• 50 gram / 1/4 cup plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 150 ml / 2/3 cup olive oil
• 85 ml / 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 medium onion, sliced thinly
• 5 cm / 2 inch strip orange zest
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 small bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped roughly

TO MAKE:

1. Gut, scale and remove the heads from the sardines, [or let your fishmonger do that for you] then dust them in the seasoned flour.
2. Fry them in half the olive oil for 1 minute on each side, then transfer to a shallow dish.
3. Add everything except the parsley and the remaining oil to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.
4. Add the parsley and the rest of the olive oil, pour the hot marinade over the sardines and leave until cold.

Serves 4.

Preparation time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Cooking time: 10 to 30 minutes

Recipe: Rick Stein