Makes 1 1/2 lb
If you love tinned fish, these easy-to-prepare homemade sardines will be your new go-to. Serve with lemon juice or with bread and a green salad.
Ingredients
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 12 oz fresh sardine fillets, skin on
- 1 1/4 cups white vinegar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
- Ground black pepper, as needed
- 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, plus as needed
Directions
- Spread the salt in an even 1/8-inch layer on a plastic tray. Lay the sardine fillets skin side up on the salt. Cover the fillets with another 1/8-inch layer of salt. Allow to cure for 15 minutes.
- The sardine skin is fragile, so brush the salt off the fillets very gently. Move the fillets to a hotel pan and cover with the vinegar. Allow the fillets to cure for 20 minutes.
- Very gently rinse the fillets with cold water. Drain on several layers of absorbent paper towels, skin side up.
- Combine the lemon zest, garlic, and herbs. Layer the mixture into the bottom of a hotel pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange the fillets in a single layer on top and cover with the olive oil. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Very gently remove the fillets from the hotel pan.
