Cured Sardines in Olive Oil

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Very gently rinse the fillets with cold water. Drain on several layers of absorbent paper towels, skin side up.
  4. 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.
  5. Very gently remove the fillets from the hotel pan.

CIA FOODIES


Cured Sardines

Cured Sardines in Olive Oil
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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Very gently rinse the fillets with cold water. Drain on several layers of absorbent paper towels, skin side up.
  4. 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.
  5. Very gently remove the fillets from the hotel pan.

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