SARDINES IN VINEGAR (ESCABECHE)

Sardines in Vinegar (Escabeche) image

Provided by Martha Rose Shulman

Categories dinner, lunch, vegetables, appetizer, main course

Time 25m

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

1 pound sardines, (or 4 to 6 per person depending on the size), cleaned, heads removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
2 garlic cloves, peeled, halved, and green shoots removed
Pinch of saffron threads
Pinch of ground ginger
2 onions, sliced or chopped
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
2 small bay leaves
1 lemon, sliced in rounds
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Steps:

Pat sardines dry and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet and add sardines. Cook on one side for about 2 1/2 minutes, flip over and cook on the other side for another 2 1/2 minutes, or until flesh is opaque and flakes when poked with a fork. Add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, toss together and scrape bottom of pan with a spoon to deglaze. Remove from heat and transfer to a ceramic baking dish.
In a mortar and pestle, mash together garlic, a generous pinch of salt, saffron and ginger.
Heat remaining olive oil over medium heat in the skillet in which you cooked the sardines and add onions and pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic mix, coriander seeds and bay leaves and continue to cook, stirring often, until onions are very soft but not browned (add a little salt if they begin to stick), another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in remaining vinegar and turn heat to medium low. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to dish with sardines. Toss together gently.
Top sardines with lemon slices. Cover dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (as long as overnight). Before serving, sprinkle with parsley.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 275, UnsaturatedFat 12 grams, Carbohydrate 8 grams, Fat 16 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 24 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 507 milligrams, Sugar 3 grams