FEATURE RECIPE
Soused sardines on toast

Soused sardines on toast

Using tinned sardines, you can knock this up from the contents of a well-stocked pantry, but fresh sardines take it to a whole other level.

Serves 4

Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 10 mins (plus standing)



300 ml   white wine vinegar
50 ml   dry white wine
2 tbsp   caster sugar
½   small Spanish onion, thinly sliced
3   thyme sprigs
1   fresh bay leaf
1   garlic clove, thinly sliced, plus 1 clove extra, halved
70 ml   olive oil
20   sardine fillets (45gm each)
For dusting:   seasoned plain flour
8   thick sourdough bread slices
Parsley and lemon salad
2 cups   (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley
2   lemons, seeds removed, segmented, juice reserved
30 ml   extra-virgin olive oil


1 Preheat a grill to high heat. Combine vinegar, wine, sugar, onion, herbs and sliced garlic in a saucepan, season to taste, bring to the boil over high heat, set aside.
2 Meanwhile, heat 20ml oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Dust sardines in seasoned flour, shaking off excess, then cook in batches, skin-side down, until golden (2-3 minutes), turn and cook for another minute. Wipe out pan with absorbent paper between batches. Transfer to a heatproof, non-reactive dish large enough to hold sardines in a single layer. Pour over vinegar mixture and stand for 5 minutes.
3 Meanwhile, drizzle bread with remaining oil and grill, turning once, until golden and toasted (1-2 minutes each side), rub with cut-side of garlic and keep warm.
4 For parsley and lemon salad, combine ingredients in a bowl, breaking up lemon segments with your fingers, season to taste and toss lightly to combine. Serve with soused sardines and sourdough toast.

This recipe is from the February 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Drink Suggestion A shot of very cold vodka or a small glass of lager. Or both.

RECIPE Emma Knowles PHOTOGRAPHY Ben Dearnley STYLING Emma Knowles DRINK SUGGESTION Max Allen

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