Sardine ceviche

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 12 sardines, butterflied
• 4 jalapeños (see Note) or 2 green banana chillies
• 250 ml (1 cup) olive oil
• 1 bunch coriander, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped
• 4 red bird’s-eye chillies, seeded, finely chopped
• 75 g (¼ cup) aji amarillo paste (see Note)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• pickled chillies, to serve

Ceviche marinade

• 160 ml (⅔ cup) olive oil
• 4 lemons, juiced
• 3 limes, juiced

Start a day ahead to marinate the sardines. 

Drink Peruvian Pisco Sour

Instructions

Clean and wash sardines in salted water. Rinse, pat dry, then place, skin-side down, in a shallow dish. Season with salt and stand for 5 minutes. To make marinade, combine 125 ml oil and the citrus juices, and pour over sardines. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Drain and discard marinade.

Drizzle sardines with remaining 2 tbsp oil, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place jalapeños on an oven tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, season and toss to combine. Roast for 15 minutes or until slightly blackened and softened. Cool.

To make salsa, combine half the coriander leaves and stems, 2 chillies, 2 tbsp aji amarillo and the juice of ½ lemon and 1 lime. Slowly add 80 ml oil and whisk until combined. Season and set aside.

To make coriander sauce, process egg yolks, garlic, remaining coriander, 2 chillies, 1 tbsp aji amarillo and juice of remaining ½ lemon and 1 lime in a food processor until smooth. With motor running, slowly add remaining 150 ml oil in a steady stream until emulsified. Store sauce in an airtight container, surface covered with plastic wrap, for up to 1 week. Makes 200 ml.

Place sardines on a platter. Top with roasted jalapeños, salsa, coriander sauce and chillies.

Note

• Available from selected greengrocers.

• Aji amarillo is a yellow chilli paste available from Fireworks Foods and International Groceries. Alternatively, blanch 2 yellow cayenne chillies in boiling water. Peel and deseed. Process in a blender with 1 long green chilli and 50 ml olive oil until combined. Season with salt.

Photography by Alan Benson.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.