Cured sardines with pickled veg

This dish combines the saltiness of homemade cured sardines with sweet pickled eschallots and baby carrots. Served with capers for pops of briny saltiness and luscious crème fraiche for a creamy element makes this a recipe you won't want to stop eating!

Cured sardines with pickled veg Credit: Kitti Gould

• serves

  4

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Curing What Ails Ya

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Ingredients

• 12 whole fresh sardines, filleted (see note)
• salt and black pepper
• 1 bunch dutch carrots
• 5 eschallots
• 1 small bunch thyme
• 1 cup (250 ml) apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup caster sugar
• baby capers, to serve
• crème fraiche, to serve
• olive oil, for drizzling

Curing time: 30 minutes

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, season the sardines with salt and allow to cure for 30 minutes. While sardines are curing, prepare the vegetables and pickling liquor.
2. Slice the dutch carrots and eschallots into rounds. Place the vegetables into a medium bowl. Pick the thyme leaves and set aside.
3. Heat the vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan and when hot, pour over the vegetables.
4. After 30 minutes have elapsed, rinse the sardines well to remove the salt, then place into the vinegar solution with the vegetables. Set aside for 1 hour.
5. Remove the sardines and pickled vegetables from the pickling brine to a serving plate. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and serve with the baby capers and a dollop of crème fraiche. Drizzle with olive oil to finish.

Note

• Make sure your sardines are fresh from the fish monger as they won't be cooked with heat. If you don't eat all the sardines they can be stored overnight in the fridge, covered with olive oil.

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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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.

Stream free On Demand

Curing What Ails Ya

Watch The Full Episode Here

G

Watch The Full Episode Here

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