February 24, 2022
Sardines on toast with sweet onion and pine nut tarator
Sardines on toast with sweet onion and pine nut tarator recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 2 thin slices sourdough bread
- For brushing: extra-virgin olive oil
- 4 fresh sardines, filleted and trimmed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Squeeze of: lemon juice
- To serve: 1 pickled garlic clove, finely sliced
- To serve: dill fronds
Sweet onion
- 1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp raisins, soaked for 5 minutes in warm water and halved
Pine nut tarator
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- ¼ garlic clove
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- Pinch of sumac
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
METHOD
- To make the sweet onion, place onion, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a saucepan and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly. The onion should start to wilt and soften somewhat, but still maintain a subtle bite or crunch. Transfer to a stainless-steel bowl, stir in vinegar and cover with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature, then stir in raisins and set aside.
- For the pine nut tarator, preheat oven to 180C. Spread pine nuts on an oven tray and roast for a few minutes until golden. Allow to cool, then transfer to a chopping board and chop roughly. Using a mortar and pestle, crush garlic with a pinch of salt. Add lemon juice and red wine vinegar, then let garlic “cook” for 5 minutes in the acid before adding chopped pine nuts, parsley, sumac and extra-virgin olive oil. Stir well to incorporate, then set aside.
- Preheat a barbecue or char-grill pan. Cut slices of bread into fingers roughly the same width as a sardine fillet. Grill bread on both sides, then brush with a little extra-virgin olive oil and set aside.
- Meanwhile, season skin-side of sardine fillets with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan over low heat, add olive oil and gently fry fillets, skin-side down, for about 1 minute until just cooked through. Remove fillets from pan and season with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Place a tablespoon of sweet onion on each toast finger and spread it right to the edges. Top with a sardine fillet, skin-side up, followed by a generous teaspoon of pine nut tarator. Scatter with pickled garlic slices and dill and eat immediately.
Ingredients 700–800g chicken breast (raw) 2 cups cooked lentils 3–4 small beetroot (about 400g total) 6–8 cups rocket (arugula) or spinach 2 cucumbers (sliced) 1 small red onion (thinly sliced) 2 tsp olive oil (total) Juice of 1–2 lemons Spice rub 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp paprika 3 garlic cloves (minced) Salt + black pepper Method Step one - Cook The Chicken Coat chicken with spices and garlic. Grill, bake, or pan-cook with minimal oil until cooked through. Slice. Step two - Prepare The Beetroot Roast at 200°C for ~30–40 min (or use pre-cooked), then slice. Step Three - Build The Bowl Divide greens, lentils, beetroot, cucumber, and onion across 4 bowls. Top with protein Add sliced chicken evenly. Step four - Dress It Lightly Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice over each bowl. Step five - Serve & Enjoy Toss lightly if desired, or keep layered for presentation. Serve immediately while the chicken is warm for the best flavour. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes 450 kcal | 7g Fat | 53g Protein | 37g Carbohydrates
Ingredients 100g smoked salmon ½ large avocado, sliced 2 boiled eggs (soft or hard, halved) 1 cup baby spinach or mixed leafy greens ½ cup cucumber, sliced ¼ cup asparagus (lightly steamed or raw shaved) 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (optional) Salt & black pepper to taste Fresh dill or parsley (optional) Method Step one - Boil the eggs Bring water to a boil, add eggs and cook: 6–7 min for soft-boiled / 9–10 min for hard-boiled. Cool, peel, and halve Step two - Prepare greens Wash and dry spinach/greens, place in bowl. Step Three - Prep veggies Slice avocado and cucumber. Lightly steam asparagus if desired. Step four - Assemble bowl Arrange smoked salmon, eggs, avocado, cucumber, and asparagus over greens. Step five - Dress it Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Step six - Finish & serve Add herbs and pumpkin seeds, then serve. Nutritional Information & Cooking Times Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 7–9 minutes (for boiling eggs + optional asparagus) Total time: ~15–18 minutes 620 kcal | 48g Fat | 37g Protein | 11g Carbohydrates
Ingredients 250 g fresh sardines, cleaned and patted dry 1–2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Sea salt, to taste Freshly cracked black pepper Instructions Step 1 - Heat the pan Place a non-stick or stainless-steel pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to warm (not smoke). Step 2 - Cook the sardines Lay the sardines gently into the pan in a single layer. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side, until the skin turns lightly golden and releases easily from the pan. Step 3 - Season simply Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked black pepper while cooking or just after removing from the pan. Step 4 - Serve immediately Transfer to a plate and enjoy warm. Optional: If you're not doing an offical sardine fast, a great addition is to serve with fresh lemon with added chilli and parsley flakes. Nutrition and Cooking Times | Cook time: 5-7 minutes Serves: 1-2 Nutrient Value (per serving): Calories: 520cal | Protein: 62g | Fat: 38g | Carbohydrates: 0g |