Butterflied Sardines with a Crispy Crumb
This summery recipe is so easy to prepare and is absolutely delicious.  The butterflied sardines are cooked in minutes to give a wonderful golden and crispy topping.  Serve with salad -  Panzanella Salad is the perfect pairing. The sardines were gifted to me by Bradley's https://bradleysfish.com/ (they deliver throughout the UK) use the code Victoria-15 at check out for a 15% discount.    
  • Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 2 yield(s)
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 15 mins
Ingredients
    For the crumb
  • 4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
  • 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese (finely grated)
  • 2 anchovy fillets (finely chopped)
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 garlic clove (peeled & crushed)
  • 1 lemon (zest only)
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    • For the topping
  • 1 small red onion (peeled & finely chopped)
  • 1 small handful of fresh parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1 red chilli (de-seeded & finely chopped)
    • For the sardines
  • 6 - 8 butterflied sardines
  • sea salt & pepper (freshly ground)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
  1. In a small bowl mix together all the crumb ingredients. Then in another small bowl mix together the topping ingredients and set aside.
  2. Season the butterflied sardines on both sides. Now press a tablespoon of breadcrumbs on to each flesh side of the sardines. Place the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry skin side down for about 1 minute. Carefully turn the sardines over and fry for about 90 seconds until the crust is golden and crispy.
  3. Remove the sardines and place on a plate, crust side up. Sprinkle with the topping and pour over the remaining hot oil – enjoy! Serve with salad.
Recipe Notes

For this recipe I used the most delicious sardines that were gifted to me by https://bradleysfish.com/ they tasted wonderful.  If you'd like to try them for yourself or any of their wonderful range of frozen seafood use the code Victoria-15 for a 15% discount on your orders.