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Grilled sardines with lemon salsa

Name: Grilled sardines with lemon salsa
Yield: Serves 6-8
Cuisine: Italian recipes
Ingredients: 24 medium sardines, butterflied; For the salsa; 2 lemons; 1 large or 2 small red onions; Small bunch of fresh parsley; Small bunch of fresh mint or coriander; 125ml extra-virgin olive oil; Juice of ½ lemon

Published: 31 Aug 08
Updated: 18 Mar 24

A beautiful, simple sardine recipe served with a bright and zesty lemon salsa. You can cook the sardines on a barbecue or under the grill.

Easy
September 2008

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6-8
Ready in 20 minutes

A beautiful, simple sardine recipe served with a bright and zesty lemon salsa. You can cook the sardines on a barbecue or under the grill.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 279kcals
Fat: 20.8g (4.4g saturated)
Protein: 21g
Carbohydrates: 1.9g (1.3g sugars)
Salt: 0.4g

For 8 servings

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Ingredients

24 medium sardines, butterflied

For the salsa

2 lemons
1 large or 2 small red onions
Small bunch of fresh parsley
Small bunch of fresh mint or coriander
125ml extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon

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Method

Preheat the grill (or a barbecue) to the hottest it will go. Peel the lemons by cutting off the tops and bottoms, then sit them upright and cut away the zest and pith from top to bottom with a sharp knife, turning as you go. Roughly chop the flesh and chuck in a bowl. Now chop the onions, parsley and mint (or coriander), either by hand or in a food processor, being careful not to turn them to mush.
Mix the oniony-herby mixture with the chunks of lemon in the bowl and stir in the olive oil and lemon juice, some Maldon sea salt and black pepper. Sometimes, I have to say, I add some crumbled, dried red chilli (or a finely chopped fresh green or red chilli) as well.
Leave the salsa to macerate while you cook the sardines. When they’re really fresh, they scarcely need much time: just blitz under a hot grill (or on the barbecue), transfer to a waiting plate, sprinkle with sea salt and take to the table with the summery, sharp lemon salsa in its bowl alongside.