Let's get smashed on oily fish. This sardine dish served with mint and a preserved lemon salsa is tangy and a great way of eating sardines!
Ingredients
2 courgettes, sliced into rounds
100g green beans, cut into 2cm lengths
25g fresh mint leaves
Tablespoon chopped chives
1 preserved lemon (I use Belazu)
½ tsp cumin
Juice half a fresh lemon
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch Celtic salt
6 Cornish butterflied sardine fillets (mine come frozen from Waitrose) / Whole sardines or tinned would work well too.
Instructions
Heat up a griddle pan and fry the courgettes in a little oil until charred on both sides. Set aside.
Meanwhile steam the green beans, when done, drain and combine with the courgettes.
If you are able to multi-task make up the salsa while the courgettes are frying. Either by hand or using a mini-processor combine the mint, preserved lemon (first take out the pips), cumin, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Taste and adjust oil or seasoning as desired.
Using the same pan the courgettes were cooked in (less washing up!) add a little extra oil if necessary, & turn the pan to medium heat. Place the fillets skin side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn and cook for another 2-3 minutes till cooked through. Be careful not to let the sardines stick. When done plate up as in the pic, drizzling over the salsa and sprinkling a few torn mint leaves over the courgettes.
Recipe by Ceri Jones Chef at https://cerijoneschef.com/sardines-with-mint-preserved-lemon-salsa/