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5.0 from 9 votes

Roasted Sardines with Herb Stuffing

Fresh sardines roasted with a stuffing of fresh herbs, breadcrumbs, garlic and lemon. A delicious taste of the Mediterranean and budget friendly too.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 406 kcal
Course: Main Course , Lunch , Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean , French

Ingredients

  • 1 kg (2¼lb) fresh sardines cleaned and dried on kitchen paper
  • 4 tablespoon olive oil
  • 100 g (8 tbsp) breadcrumbs or panko
  • 2 egg yolks organic
  • 2 tablespoon milk or wine
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice unwaxed/organic
  • 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon rosemary leaves
  • ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (fleur de sel, Maldon flakes or celtic salt)
  • 4 tablespoon fresh flat parsley finely chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 230°C/210°C fan/450°F/Gas 8. Oil a large roasting dish with a tablespoon of the oil.
  2. Prepare the sardines (otherwise get your fishmonger to do this). With the blunt part of a knife, run over each side to remove any scales then rinse. Using a sharp knife, cut and discard the heads. Slit open the stomach and discard the insides using your thumb. Depending on their size, keep the tails or remove. Rinse well and pat dry.
  3. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoon of the olive oil with the rest of the ingredients. Spread a tablespoon of the stuffing on top of each sardine directly in the dish. Make a sandwich by pressing gently another sardine on top.
  4. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on their size, until the visible breadcrumbs are well browned and the rest is sizzling.

Notes

  • Serve immediately with a wedge of extra lemon, a side of green vegetables or salad and a glass of chilled French rosé. 
  • Nutritional Information: 37g protein; 23g lipids; 13g carbohydrates based on 230g per person.