A home-style dish from Sicily, southern Italy: Sardines with Almond Crust. Sardines are hand-opened and coated with sliced almonds, then baked until fragrant. Chef Hidaka carefully explains this exquisite recipe, which minimizes the fishy smell of blue fish and pairs perfectly with wine.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients (2 servings)
- Sardines 3 pcs
- All-purpose flour (to taste)
- Egg white 1 pc
- Sliced almonds (to taste)
- Lemon (to taste)
Seasonings
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- Olive oil (to taste)
Steps
- Remove the heads of the 3 sardines, cut open the belly, and remove the internal organs.
- Starting from the tail, insert your finger and remove the belly bones by scraping with your finger. Once the bones are separated from the flesh at the tail, remove the tough dorsal fin and open the fish by hand. (Key Tip!) Removing the belly bones cleanly by hand results in a better texture.
- The dark parts on the inside of the sardine's belly can be carefully wiped away or left lightly.
- Prepare all-purpose flour (to taste), lightly beaten egg white from 1 pc, and sliced almonds (to taste) for coating.
- Sprinkle salt (to taste) all over the hand-opened sardines (especially spread open the back). You can also sprinkle pepper (to taste) if you like. (Key Tip!) Blue fish are less likely to have a strong fishy taste when seasoned well with salt.
- Lightly coat both sides of the sardines with all-purpose flour, and tap off any excess flour.
- Apply egg white only to the back side of the sardines, then place them, back-side down, onto the sliced almonds. (Key Tip!) Almonds can burn easily, so consider starting the cooking with the back side facing down and only coat that side.
- Add a generous amount of olive oil (to taste) to a frying pan.
- Place the sardines into the frying pan, back-side down, with the almonds firmly attached, and begin cooking over very low heat. (Key Tip!) Almonds burn easily, so cook them slowly over very low heat. If it seems like they might burn, add more oil.
- Once the almonds have a nice golden-brown color and a fragrant aroma, flip the sardines and cook the other side.
- After cooking the other side until it's also golden brown, turn off the heat and let it cook through gently with residual heat.
- Plate the sardines and serve with lemon (to taste) if desired. (Key Tip!) Adding acidity, such as from lemon, tightens the flavor of the blue fish and makes it more delicious.
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