These salty little fish are a delight, especially when served with garlic mayo as in this recipe cooked by Tommi on A Cook's Tour of Spain
Serves 2 as as tapas
1. First make the alioli. Put the garlic and salt in a pestle and mortar and pound until the garlic becomes a sticky paste. Very gradually add the oil - just a few drops at a time - and continue pounding until the garlic paste becomes emulsified with the oil and thickens like a mayonnaise. Season with a touch of lemon juice and some ground black pepper. Set aside.
2. To prepare the sardines, season the flour with salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium flame and add the oil. Toss the sardines one at a time into the seasoned flour until lightly coated and shake off any excess.
Don’t add the oil to the alioli too fast or it could separate.
3. Add to the hot oil and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, turning halfway though the cooking time, until pale golden brown and crisp. Transfer the sardines to a serving plate using tongs or a spatula. Serve with the garlic alioli, lemon wedges for squeezing and hunks of fresh, crusty bread.
© Thomasina Miers
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