Sardines

Baked Sardines with Garlic Crust and Herbs Sardine is the species of sardine found in Europe, with a large contribution to the diet and trade. Baked Sardines with Garlic Crust and Herbs How to Choose Sardines: When selecting sardines, ensure that the fish has a mild ocean scent, bright eyes, and taut skin. Plan to cook the sardines within 1-2 days of purchase. Obtain cleaned sardines from your fishmonger; if not, you’ll need to clean out the entrails and heads and wash them thoroughly. Small sardines can be consumed with their bones due to their size, but this is not advisable for small children. Ingredients • 1 kg cleaned sardines from Ambracian Gulf-Arta • 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped • 2 teaspoons of mustard • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice • 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, grated • ½ teaspoon of paprika • 1 teaspoon of dried onion flakes • ¼ teaspoon of salt • Freshly ground black pepper • 3 tablespoons of olive oil • 2 teaspoons of freshly chopped parsley Preparation Preheat the oven to 220°C in air mode. In a deep bowl, combine all the ingredients (except the parsley and sardines) and mix thoroughly. Add the sardines and gently toss them in the mixture until well-covered. Grease a baking pan with a small amount of oil and arrange the sardines’ side by side in a single layer. Drizzle any remaining dressing over them. Bake for 15-17 minutes, slightly longer if using larger sardines. The sardines are done when they develop a crispy crust on the surface. Finish by sprinkling fresh parsley and a dash of lemon juice. You can also add a pinch of dried rosemary for extra flavor. Serve your baked sardines with cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and bread. They pair wonderfully with ouzo! Source: www.olivetomato.com & www.kathimerini.gr

Marinated Sardines Sardine is one of the most nutritious fish. It is worth enjoying it marinated! Marinated Sardines Ingredients • 1 kg sardines’ fillets from the Ambracian Gulf in Arta • 300 gr coarse salt • 330 gr vinegar • 400 gr olive oil Preparation Begin by asking the fishmonger to fillet the sardines for you, otherwise, clean them by removing the entrails, and heads, and giving them a thorough wash. Wash the sardines’ fillets with cold water, strain them, and let them dry. Place them in layers next to each other in a bowl, cover them with salt, and let them sit for 24 hours. Then, drain the liquid that the sardines have released but leave the salt on them. Layer the sardines again, this time covering them with the vinegar, and let them sit for another day. The following day, remove the vinegar and carefully clean each sardine fillet, removing the backbone. Place the cleaned sardines in a glass jar and cover them with olive oil. Serve them drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Source www.imommy.gr & www.tovima.gr