Kids grow up believing all sorts of stuff. Like my niece, who thought french fried potatoes came from a box in the freezer.
Okay, she was only 6 years old. She stayed over at my house and I made french fries for dinner. From potatoes. And when her Mom and Dad came to pick her up one of the first things she told them was that “Aunt Ronnie makes french fries from a potato.”
It was an understandable mistake and I made a similar one when I was a kid.
I thought sardines came from a can. My mother, who loved sardines, ate them once or twice a week. I remember she made a big deal about opening the can, which had a thin metal top that you had to use a key to roll open.
I didn’t realize then that there were real sardines, in the fish store, that you could cook and eat. But after I did, and grilled a few, I understood that they were a completely different item than canned sardines.
I like canned sardines.
But I love fresh sardines.
Grilling sardines couldn’t be easier. We eat them as an appetizer, but you could certainly make more and have them for dinner.
By the way, fresh fish is monumentally expensive these days. But not sardines.
Grilled Sardines
8 fresh whole sardines
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
one lemon, cut in half
Preheat an outdoor grill or oven broiler to medium. Coat the fish with the olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Grill the fish for 2-3 minutes per side or until crispy and cooked through. Squeeze the fish with fresh lemon juice and serve. Makes 4 appetizer servings