Fish

SARDINES

Fresh sardines are available virtually all year round on Skopelos. We buy them straight from the boats or from Gianni and his red van. Try these simple receipes.

Seasonal salad :  Season and brush sardine fillets with oil, then grill   for about 4-5 minutes. Break up roughly and mix with crisp lettuce, sliced red onion, ripe tomatoes and chopped parsley. Dress with lemon juice and olive oil.

Pan-fried:   Season whole, scaled and gutted sardines and sauté them for about two minutes. Turn over and finish cooking. Serve with chopped tomatoes and fresh basil.

Baked:   Mix breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, lemon zest and finely chopped garlic. Lay seasoned sardines in an oiled baking dish. Brush with a little more oil and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs. Bake at 220C/gas 7 for about 15-20 minutes or until golden on top.

Sicilian-style spaghetti: Sauté chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. Add chopped sardine fillets and cook for a few minutes. Add some boiled and chopped fennel, sultanas and pine nuts and cook until you have a paste-like sauce. Season and toss with the pasta and chopped basil.

On the barbie: Grill whole, scaled, gutted and seasoned sardines on the barbecue for about five minutes until golden. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and lemon zest and serve with lemon wedges.

Always have bags of lemons available for squeezing