There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who abhor sardines, and those who adore them. I belong to the latter camp. To me, tinned sardines are delicious on crackers, in a sandwich, or straight out of the can.
So I was delighted when I found a recipe for sardine salad on http://www.eatingwell.com. It’s easy to assemble and requires no cooking. You might want to prepare it for the weekend, then bring leftovers to work. Great with sourdough bread spread with a little butter.
I should add that sardines offer several nutritional benefits. They are full of protein and healthy omega-3 oils. In addition, canned sardines that have not been deboned contain a lot of calcium. (Don’t worry about the bones. They are extremely soft and unnoticeable when consumed.)
GREEK SALAD WITH SARDINES (4 servings)
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 3 medium tomatoes, cut into large chunks
- 1 large English cucumber, cut into large chunks
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons sliced Kalamata olives
- * 2 4-ounce cans sardines with bones, packed in olive oil or water, drained
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1.Whisk lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano and pepper in a large bowl until well combined.
2.Add tomatoes, cucumber, chickpeas, feta, onion and olives; gently toss to combine.
3.Divide the salad among 4 plates and top with sardines.
*When I recommend fish dishes, I’m always mindful about whether a species has been overfished or contaminated. According to Monterey Bay Seafood Watch (seafoodwatch.org), sardine schools in the Mediterranean Sea have been severely depleted. Therefore, Seafood Watch does not recommend buying brands obtaining fish from that part of the world.
What I can recommend is looking at labels for sustainable sardine fisheries. Wild Planet is usually reliable in terms of sustainable produce.
References:
- eatingwell.com
- seafoodwatch.org
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