25 minutes
A delightful dish featuring crispy oil-roasted sardines paired with tangy pickled onions and fresh parsley.
Whole Sardines, cleaned and gutted
0 lb
Garlic, halved
0 heads
sprigs
0.25 fluid ounces
Red Onion, thinly sliced
each
Lime Juice, fresh
tablespoons
Flat Leaf Parsley, leaves
cups
1. Preheat Oven and Season Sardines
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Season the sardines with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Arrange the sardines in a 2-quart baking dish with the halved garlic heads and sprigs of fresh thyme. Drizzle ¾ cup of olive oil over everything.
2. Roast Sardines
Place the baking dish in the oven and roast the sardines for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin crisps up and they release an enticing aroma. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
3. Prepare Pickled Onions
While the sardines are cooling, combine thinly sliced red onion with fresh lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, allowing the onions to sit and absorb the flavors for a few minutes. Toss with a cup of flat-leaf parsley leaves.
4. Serve
Arrange the sardines on a platter with a generous dollop of mayonnaise and the vibrant pickled onion mixture. Optionally, include toasted bread as an accompaniment.
Fresh sardines should have bright eyes, firm flesh, and a clean smell. Opt for high-quality canned sardines in olive oil if fresh ones aren't available.
Roast at a high temperature, around 400°F (200°C), and check after 10-12 minutes for crispy skin and moist flesh.
A good-quality extra virgin olive oil for roasting will add depth and a peppery note to the sardines.
Balance the richness of the sardines and mayonnaise with the acidity of the pickled onions for a harmonious flavor profile.
This prevents uneven cooking and helps the sardines crisp up nicely.
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