Wonderful eaten just with your hands or on bread, these simple fishy delights make for a great snack, starter or light supper
S
ardines are one of our most underrated fish, even though UK stocks are healthy and the fishery in Cornwall is certified sustainable. They are caught by seine netting at dusk just a few miles from shore, and the way they are fished means they’re in perfect condition when landed. My favourite way of eating them is left whole, guts in and heads on, topped with a healthy sprinkling of coarse salt and then grilled – they’re wonderful eaten just with your hands or on bread, but today I offer up two alternatives ways with sardines.
You will see these delicious cicchetti, or snack, in bars all over Venice, where they sit piled high on the counter, ready to be served with a glass of wine or on top of a slice of bread. They make a great starter or light supper, and it’s a very good way to preserve the fresh fish for a few days, because the flavour gets only better with time. I’ve added a few crushed pink peppercorns to the traditional recipe, because I think they add a nice touch.
Prep 10 min
