Sep 19
Fish, seafood & shellfish | Traditional Spanish Recipes
Sardines in a Pickle – Sardinas en Escabeche and an Award
Did you buy far too much Sardines? Did you see their silver skin shinning on the fishmonger’s desk and thought… MMmmm I could have them grilled this Saturday and invite the family over… but then the weather turns rainy and stormy and you change your plans. It’s a perfect situation for a Pickle!
Preparing a Pickle or Escabeche (that’s how we call it here) it’s one of the easiest things to do and you can use the sardines in a pickle in so many different ways afterwards. For example: In a sandwich or bocadillo (bocata is the popular word); to do some Montaditos (see picture hereunder) with layers of different ingredients; as part of a salad with pasta, sardine, lettuce, blah.
There’s many different ways to perform a pickle, feel free to add other ingredients.
Want a bite? ;D
Now to the Award! Always smiling Judy from No Fear Entertaining sent me over this cute award: Thanks so much Judy, I love your blog t♥♥!!!
The rules are as follow:
1) Add the logo of the award to your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you (as shown above).
3) Nominate at least seven other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on your blog.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.So the ones that I am choosing are the ones that I read all of the time and have actually become “friends” with most of them.
And the blogs I Do Love are:
1) Ivy from Kopiaste: A wonderful cook and friend living in a wonderful country: Greece :D
2) Laurie from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska: A cook poet in Alaska.
3) Janet from GourmetTraveller: Magnific Chineese food cooked in Switzerland.
4) Susan from Sticky, Gooey, Creamy and Chewy: this is my gift to you, Susan :D
5) Nathan from La Cocina de Nathan: Latin cooking in North America. Adelante Chico!
6) Ts and Js from Eating Club Vancouver: Fantastic food and pictures ready to be devoured!
7) Antonio from Olive Juice: Recently discovered and still drooling with his pictures and recipes!
Recipe
Ingredients for 4 servings: 16 fresh sardines, oil to fry them, flour and salt. 6 garlic cloves, 200 ml. of white wine vinegar, 100 ml of water, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of sweet red paprika, 1 thyme branch.
- Clean the sardines under tap water taking their head and guts away. Let them dry a bit.
- Heat some olive oil in a sauce pan.
- Coat the sardines in flour and fry when the oil is hot. When done place over kitchen paper to leave there the excess of oil. Place the sardines in a glass recipient.
- Don't take the skin off the garlics, just smash them with a plain knife and fry in the same sauce pan with the same oil, add the bay leaf, the pepper and the thyme branch.
- When the garlic starts to get some colour, take the sauce pan out of the heat and add the paprika. Stir so that it doesn't burn. Add also the vinegar and the water (careful it can splash you). Stir and put back over the heat. When it starts boiling pour it over the sardines we had in the glass recipient. Make sure the pickle covers them.
- Let it cool down and when cold place in the fridge.
- They can stay there for days :D
Comments
I love escabeche. In my family, it was traditionally done with mackarel but I think any fish works. It’s been quite a while since I’ve had it but, looking at your post, I’m adding it to my shopping list right now! P.S. It was hard to concentrate on the ingredients when “Silly Me” kept flashing. Very funny. Very good blog!
Hey, Nuria. Thanks so much. Another award which I am passing right back to your, as you know how much I love you, your blog and I enjoy reading your posts. Your sardines look delicious.
Hi Joan! I love it with Mackarel too!!! Those blue fish are soooo tasty and good for our health :D. The silly me slide is part of a video I did for my 1 year blogiversary ;D.
Thanks so much darling Ivy!
Ummm, Nuria you KNOW I love sardines and the next time I get some I’ll try this. Us Greeks call escebeche “marinato” where the fish cools in the marinaade overnight before serving.
Rico, rico!
Nuria, I am drooling! Love the frying and the pickling…sp perfect in a sandwich!…mmmm
yes im still here! just got caught up last weekend with an unexpected essay on spanish conquest of mexico(hmm hehe) senior year is tough and im only three weeks in! and i have two jobs! BUT ive been working on a post and its up tonight or tomorrow morning!
no way am i disappearing!!!
Yay – it’s working now!
I love the idea of this – but when would you remove the bones?? There is still a bit of me that fusses like a schoolkid when it comes to fish bones – even though fish is my favourite thing!
Peter, there will always be a big plate of Sardinas en Escabeche waiting for you here :D
Hi Kittie! The bones come out easily when you have to use the sardines: simply open them with the fork and knife and pull the bone. The small ones at the sides can be easily eaten… no problem :D
Hi Nuria, I am so surprised to receive an award from you. I just receive another award and you are one of them that I have to pass on. What a coincedent. Stay tune with my post, it will be ready to post soon…. Thanks again ; )
What a mess with the comments!!!
My answer to the Peter was to Peter M.
Now:
Hola Peter G. (I will use the m and g to differentiate now)
That montadito was a bite to heaven with that Piquillo on top… and I still thing I could add an egg there ;D
Hey Mallory! So nice to hear about you♥
You look too busy to me ;D. Those Spanish guys at that time were… I don’t know what to say here! Nothing nice, I guess :(
I’ll be devouring your next post, guapa!
Really Janet? He, he that’s awesome! I’ll stay tunned for sure :D
I love the photos of you over there to the left. :)
You are a temptress with those pickled sardines and a teaser by showing us your delicious sandwich and asking if we want a bit when all we can do is lick the computer screen! :)
That dish looks mighty delicious! In a sandwich… yummy!
Cheers and thanks for passing by!
Rosa
Thanks :) that’s so nice of you, I always read your blog to :)
I’ll add this when I do another recipe post before this weekend is over then I’ll just make it part of the post the same way you did.
Thank you for the award, Nuria! We’re truly honoured.
I love these sardines escabeche. . .I think I saw some sardines at our grocery store so I’ll try this soon. Thanks!
Primero, antes de todo, felicitaciones a ti por recibir el award!! Te lo mereces y mucho mas!! También, miles de gracias por escogerme como uno de los recipientes! hoy tuve un día de trabajo brutal y fue un honor ver q me hayas elegido!
Nunca he cocido las sardinas de etsa manera, pero ahora casi todo los días me está provocando comer cosas con sazonadas con pimentón!! q ricoooo!!
I to gave you an award :)
http://nathanscomida.blogspot.com/2008/09/carne-guisada-con-chile-y-papas.html
Thanks for the love! =) We’re honored.
For us, we don’t really see fresh sardones much. =(
Hola Maryann! He, he… love to behave silly sometimes!!!
Ha, ha Cynthia! All you have to do is take a plane over here and I will offer you with some other deliciousness :D :D
Thanks Rosa! Nice to see you over here :D. Hope we keep in touch!
Ok, Nathan! YOu deserve it :D!!!
Hola Vancouver! So glad you like it!!! YOu do a great job and I love your blog :D
Hola Antonio! Siempre hay una primera vez para todo, no? La verdad es que me encanta tu blog, a ver si este fin de semana tienes un poquito de tiempo para subir otra receta ;D
Hola again Nathan! Really? Aaaaahhh I love awards! Thanks boy. Vengo en cuanto pueda durante el fin de semana :D
Hi Ts! So bad you cannot find fresh sardines :( If I could I would send you some :D
Hola
Congratulations on your award Nuria. You always have something to interest everyone on your blog. I love your energy and spirit:D
Here you are Valli! I’ve been missing your comments lately. Still going to the beach?
Thanks for your kind and wonderful words. I love you too, sweetie♥
Nuria, this looks just perfect for me. I learn yet another wonderful trick from you again! I LOVE sardines, and I’m always looking for new ways to prepare them.
These look so delicious, Nuria! I love fresh sardines, but have never had them this way.
Thank you so very much for the lovely award! I’m very touched.
Yum, again! did you know that “in a pickle” also means “in trouble”?
Nuria,
La semana pasada prepare estas sardinas y que rico me quedaron mil gracias y un abraso :) Aqui tengo el post:
http://nathanscomida.blogspot.com/2010/05/sardinas-en-escabeche-preserved.html