Ingredients
Sardine (fresh)
Other Names: Célan (larger sardine), sardine (French); haiwash, iwashi, sappa-rui (Japanese); parrocha, sardina europea (Spanish); pelser, sardien (Dutch); pilchard; sardalyo (Turkish); sardélla (Greece); sardella, sardina (Italian); sardin (Danish); sardinha (Portuguese). Clupeidae.
General Description: The small, silvery, rich-fleshed sardine (Sardina pilchardus_) has a green back and yellow sides. In Great Britain, sardines are young fish and pilchards older fish, but elsewhere sardine is used for both. True sardines come from Europe; young sardines are important in Portugal, Spain, and France, and adult pilchards are most common in northern Europe. Sardines are often grilled, especially over hardwood charcoal, because their soft, dark, rather oily flesh takes well to direct heat. Pacific sardines (_Sardinops sagax) were abundant along the Pacific coast until the 1930s, especially near Monterey’s famed Cannery Row, but were so overfished
that they practically disappeared. Today, the Pacific sardine population is recovering. Canned sardines are known worldwide.
Locale and Season: Fresh sardines are seasonal, usually local, and most common in summer. In Portugal, where fresh sardines are hugely popular, the season lasts from the end of
May to the end of October. Pacific sardines may be found from Chile to Alaska in spring and summer.
Characteristics: Sardines have soft, moderately oily flesh and pronounced flavor. They weigh less than 1/2 pound. Pacific sardines weigh more than 1/3 pound. Yield is 45 to 50 percent.
How to Choose: Choose plump shiny fish, larger if baking, smaller if grilling. “Sardines” harvested in American Atlantic waters are actually young herring.
Storage: Sardines should be cooked the day of purchase.
Preparation:
1. To gut a whole head-on sardine, pinch the gills on
both sides at the base of the head and pull them out. Often the innards will pull out at the same time. If not, slit open underneath and scoop them out from the belly cavity.
2. Rinse inside and out under cold water while rubbing
to remove the scales. Wipe dry. To remove the head, snap it back, breaking the spine, and pull it off.
3. Sardines can also be gutted and boned through the
back, a good method if stuffing and baking.
4. Grill whole, bake, use for escabeche, hot-smoke, broil, or pan-fry. They are too soft and their flavor too strong for soups or stews.
Suggested Recipe: Fried Sardines Neapolitan Style (serves 4): Arrange 2 pounds filleted split-open sardines in a baking dish in 1 to 2 layers. Add 1/4 cup olive oil to cover the bottom of the dish, season with salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped garlic, and 1 tablespoon chopped oregano, then dot with 2 cups fresh tomato chunks. Bake at 425°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish are opaque.
Flavor Affinities: Bay leaf, currant, fennel, garlic, green olives, lemon, olive oil, oregano, parsley, pine nut, raisin, red onion, rosemary, saffron, sherry vinegar, thyme, tomato.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
