Fish

Salt-grilled sardines with Portuguese salad

Name: Salt-grilled sardines with Portuguese salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 large potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces; 1 tablespoon hot smoked paprika (pimenton); 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to brush; 1 each red and yellow capsicum; 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped; 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced; Handful of coriander sprigs; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 8-12 fresh sardines, cleaned (ask your fishmonger to do this); 1 lemon, quartered

Rate now

20m

35m

Salt-grilled sardines with portuguese salad

Jump to recipe

by Jill Dupleix

Food writer

Oct 03, 2015

Lisbon’s favourite open-air meal is sardinhas grelhadas served with a simple, colourful salad of grilled capsicum, tomato and potato. Sardines are at their best in summer, grilled outside and eaten in the sunshine.

2 large potatoes, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
1 tablespoon hot smoked paprika (pimenton)
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil, plus extra to brush
1 each red and yellow capsicum
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
Handful of coriander sprigs
1 teaspoon lemon juice
8-12 fresh sardines, cleaned (ask your fishmonger to do this)
1 lemon, quartered

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Cook the potatoes in a pan of simmering salted water for 8-10 minutes until almost tender, then drain well.
2.

Toss potatoes with paprika and 1 tablespoon oil. Season and spread on a large lined baking tray, then roast for 20 minutes or until golden.
3.

Meanwhile, heat a chargrill pan or barbecue on medium-high heat. Brush the capsicums with a little extra olive oil and grill or barbecue for 4-5 minutes, turning, until the skin blisters. Set aside in a bowl and cover in plastic wrap. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into strips.
4.

Place in a bowl with the cooked potatoes, then toss with tomatoes, onion, coriander, lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper.
5.

Increase the chargrill pan or barbecue heat to high. Brush the sardines and the grill with a little more oil to help prevent sticking. Sprinkle the sardines with 1 teaspoon sea salt – the soft-flaked variety is best – then cook the sardines for 2-3 minutes each side until the skin is scorched and bubbling.
6.

Divide the sardines among plates, then top with the salad and serve with lemon.