Ingredients
- 80 g of polenta
- 60 g of ground almonds
- 1 tsp of paprika
- 2 eggs
- 300 g of sardine fillets
- 135 ml of olive oil
- 15 g of flat-leaf parsley, leaves and stalks finely chopped
- 10 g of oregano, leaves finely chopped
- 10 g of basil, leaves and stalks finely chopped
- 2 tbsp of capers, roughly chopped
- 2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of sherry vinegar
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tsp of honey
- 1 tsp of chilli flakes
- 150 g of radishes, halved or sliced
- 2 oranges, peel cut away and flesh sliced into rounds, juice reserved
- 1 grapefruit, peel/pith removed, flesh sliced into rounds, juice reserved
- 40 g of pistachios, toasted and chopped
- 2 handfuls of of pea shoots and baby leaves
Method
Step 1
Combine the flat-leaf parsley, oregano, basil, capers, anchovy fillets, sherry vinegar and 80ml extra virgin olive oil for the salsa verde in a bowl with a pinch of salt; mix well and set aside. You can make this 5 days ahead; chill until needed.Step 2
Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and preheat the oven to 230ºC/210ºC fan/gas 8. On a plate, combine the polenta, ground almonds and paprika; season generously. Beat the eggs in a bowl; lay the sardines on a plate (have a quick check for bones).Step 3
One by one, dip the fillets into the egg, allowing the excess to drip off, then coat on both sides with the polenta mixture. Transfer the fillets to the baking trays, skin-side up; drizzle 2 tbsp oil. Bake for 8 mins, then flip over; return to the oven for 2-3 mins, until crisp and golden all over.Step 4
For the salad dressing, whisk the lime juice, 1½ tbsp oil, honey, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt in a small bowl along with any reserved citrus juice. Combine the salad ingredients in a bowl and pour over the dressing.Step 5
Serve the sardines with the salad and a few dollops of salsa verde.