Whole Sardine Wild Caught – 1 bag

Mediterranean Wild Sardines

Mediterranean Wild Sardines (Sardina Pilchardus)

EN. Sardine IT Sardine PR Sardinha

Sardines are among the great gifts of Mother Nature. These small, oily fish are abundant on both coasts, they are inexpensive, loaded with nutrients, and absolutely delicious. Cultures around the world have found ways to enjoy this tiny fish.

Sardines are small schools that roam the open oceans from Japan to California to Chile, eating plankton and small crustaceans. In turn, sardines are consumed by almost everyone, including people. Actually, many people around the world enjoy sardines and eat traditional dishes that include this fish.

This fish is part of the Clupeidae family, which includes other small, oily fish such as herring and anchovies. The name sardine comes from the island of Sardinia, an Italian island facing the Mediterranean Sea where the creatures were once harvested in abundance. Sardines from different oceans have unique traits and subtle flavor differences.

How to cook sardines

One of the best ways to cook fresh sardines is to grill them. Especially if the fish is wrapped in fig or fig leaves and grilled over charcoal with olive oil and lemon. Baked sardines also taste great and pair well with flavourful sauces, especially tomato sauces and hot and citrus sauces. Before preparing any of these dishes, be sure to separate or mark the fish so it is mostly boneless. In this way, the remaining bones will be so fine that they will fuse with the pulp of the cooked sardines.

Also try raw sardines by filleting the fish and marinating it in salt, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a Mediterranean version of ceviche. This is a common way of serving sardines in Mediterranean countries where the ingredient is abundant in the fish markets and on the docks.

Like anchovies, sardines can also accompany pizza. As for pasta sauces, classic sardines are melted in a Sicilian tomato sauce, minced and added to a creamy lemon sauce, and mixed with olive oil and capers for a Mediterranean-style sauce. All of these methods give the dish an umami flair, and even if the sardines aren’t noticeable as a flavor on their own, the ingredient adds a lot to the dish.

Nutrition and benefits

Like most fish, sardines are good for you. Yes, they contain the signature omega-3 fatty acids found in almost any fish, but much more too. In fact, a 3.75-ounce can of sardines contains four times the amount of vitamin B12 needed in a day and two-thirds the amount of phosphorus. Sardines also contain potassium, iron, calcium, vitamins B6, D, and A, as well as zinc. Not bad for a critter so small that it’s easy to find canned in most grocery stores, and usually cheap.

These links might help you cook your sardines.

A recipe to cook roasted sardines with tomato.

Here is the essential ingredients to cook the sardines.

And if you want to see a Moroccan recipe, here is one.