Sardines Romesco Sauce and Sardines with Sauce Vierge

Two ways to serve sardines, one of James's favourite fish! These recipes for Sardines Romesco Sauce and Sardines with Sauce Vierge are easy peasy, drawing inspiration from Spain and France. They featured as part of James's sardines masterclass.

Ingredients

Sardines Romesco
  • 4 sardines, gutted and heads removed
  • 15ml olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Sardines Romesco Sauce
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 1 small bunch oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 red peppers, roasted
  • 50g hazelnuts, toasted
  • 50g almonds, toasted
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 slices white bread
  • 2tbsp sherry vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
Sardines with Sauce Vierge
  • 4 butterflied sardines
  • Drizzle of olive
  • Salt and pepper
Sauce Vierge
  • 100ml olive oil
  • Few sprigs of tarragon
  • Few coriander seeds
  • 2 tomatoes concassed and diced
  • 1 lemon juice only
  • Few chives, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced

Method

Sardines Romesco Sauce

To make the sauce, place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Meanwhile, put the sardines onto a griddle drizzle of olive oil, season and char for 2 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.

Sardines with Sauce Vierge

Heat a grill to high

Pop the sardines onto an oiled tray. Season and grill for 2 to 3 minutes until charred. For the sauce, gently warm the ingredients together for 1 minute.

Serve by spooning the sauce onto plates and top with the sardines.

Ingredients

Sardines Romesco
  • 4 sardines, gutted and heads removed
  • 15ml olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
Sardines Romesco Sauce
  • 100ml olive oil
  • 1 small bunch oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 4 red peppers, roasted
  • 50g hazelnuts, toasted
  • 50g almonds, toasted
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 slices white bread
  • 2tbsp sherry vinegar
  • Salt and pepper
Sardines with Sauce Vierge
  • 4 butterflied sardines
  • Drizzle of olive
  • Salt and pepper
Sauce Vierge
  • 100ml olive oil
  • Few sprigs of tarragon
  • Few coriander seeds
  • 2 tomatoes concassed and diced
  • 1 lemon juice only
  • Few chives, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced

Method

Sardines Romesco Sauce

To make the sauce, place all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until smooth.

Meanwhile, put the sardines onto a griddle drizzle of olive oil, season and char for 2 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.

Sardines with Sauce Vierge

Heat a grill to high

Pop the sardines onto an oiled tray. Season and grill for 2 to 3 minutes until charred. For the sauce, gently warm the ingredients together for 1 minute.

Serve by spooning the sauce onto plates and top with the sardines.