Grilled Sardines With Red Chermoula Recipe
Cooking oily fish like sardines over fire imparts a deeply caramelised, smoky flavour profile, whilst keeping the flesh juicy due to its fat content. Served with a chermoula, a marinade and relish from North Africa containing spices and fresh coriander and parsley.
- 12 whole sardines, gutted, cleaned and patted dry
- olive oil, for cooking
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 lemon, halved
- caperberries, to serve
- coriander leaves, to serve
- 3 spring onions, cut into lengths, finely sliced lengthways and soaked in iced-water to curl up
- olive oil, to drizzle
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 preserved lemons, seeds discarded and rind finely sliced
- 2 tsp ras el hanout
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp of rose harissa
- 1/2 bunch of coriander, leaves picked
- 1/2 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
- 1 tsp saffron threads, bloomed in 20ml of warm water
- 1 tbsp of olive oil, plus extra as needed
- Place the sardines on a tray and rub with the olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Secure in a grilling fish basket in a single layer and set aside
- Light a barbecue for direct cooking
- Meanwhile, make the chermoula. In a pestle and mortar, mash the garlic and preserved lemon with a pinch of salt. Add the ras el hanout, salt, smoked paprika, ground cumin and rose harissa paste and mix to combine. Pound in the herb leaves until you have a paste, then loosen with the saffron water and olive oil until you have a spoonable consistency. Season to taste and set aside
- Place the lemon halves on the grill to char. Grill the sardines over the coals for 2 minutes on each side with the lid down and vents open, until the skin is blistered and the sardines are cooked through – they will cook quickly. Remove the sardines and lemon halves
- Remove the sardines from the basket, place on a platter and spoon over the chermoula. Lightly toss together the caper berries, coriander leaves and spring onion curls and place on top. Drizzle over a little olive oil and serve with the charred lemon
Cooking outdoors is all about rhythms – enjoy the flow of making the chermoula as the barbecue heats up, then quickly grill the fish as your guests wait eagerly nearby. Place the sardines on a tray and rub with the olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
Secure in a grilling fish basket in a single layer and set aside
Light a barbecue for direct cooking
Meanwhile, make the chermoula. In a pestle and mortar, mash the garlic and preserved lemon with a pinch of salt.
Add the ras el hanout, salt, smoked paprika, ground cumin and rose harissa paste and mix to combine. Pound in the herb leaves until you have a paste, then loosen with the saffron water and olive oil until you have a spoonable consistency.
Season to taste and set aside Place the lemon halves on the grill to char.
Grill the sardines over the coals for 2 minutes on each side with the lid down and vents open, until the skin is blistered and the sardines are cooked through – they will cook quickly. Remove the sardines and lemon halves
Remove the sardines from the basket, place on a platter and spoon over the chermoula. Lightly toss together the caper berries, coriander leaves and spring onion curls and place on top.
Drizzle over a little olive oil and serve with the charred lemon