If you are reading this, I give you props for being more open-minded than my brother, sister and mother who flee the room when I crack open a tin of sardines.
I’ve loved sardines ever since my dad introduced me to them sometime in my childhood. Since then, we’ve been the only ones who eat them in a household of sardine-shunners. Sad, but true considering what a cheap, convenient and nutrient-packed little package of perfection they are: high in calcium, omega-3 fats, iron, protein AND sustainable to boot. Because they’re low on the food chain, they’re less likely to contain toxins like, say, tuna. Plus, they are delicious.
Yes, the teensy little bones are a little freakeh and they are pretty pungent, I’ll admit. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try them. I don’t eat them all that often, but when I do, I eat them in sandwiches, over quinoa, hot or cold, in salad or just out of the can.
This is the first time I’ve made a spread out of them and it is SO TASTY. I spread this over narrow slices of Sarah B.’s life-changing bread to make tartines, or open-faced sandwiches. I think it’s pretty cool that I can eat bread and still call this a detox meal! (This would fit into the week 2 category of the Whole Living detox since it contains nothing but fish, herbs, nuts, gluten-free grains and seeds. Snaps all around.)
I made this as part of a picnic that I took to Erik as a dinner break and it was his second favorite dish! He was completely surprised how much he liked it since he’d never tried/been skeptical about sardines before. Proof that sardines rock.
GIVE SARDINES A CHANCE!
Really. They are so good.
{Detox} Sardine Tartines
Ingredients
- 1 can sardines preferably oil-packed
- ¼ cup parsley loosely packed
- ¼ cup cilantro loosely packed
- juice from ½ lemon
- 1-2 tablespoons capers for serving (optional, but they add an excellent hit of brine and salt)
- Baby kale or some other baby greens for serving
- Life-changing bread serves as excellent toast for serving
Instructions
- Add drained sardines to food processor, reserving leftover oil in the tin. Add parsley and cilantro and process for 5-10 seconds or until mixture is uniformly combined. Add lemon juice and drizzle in a bit of reserved oil to loosen the mixture. Process until combined.
- Meanwhile, you can use brush some of the reserved sardine oil on slices of bread and grill over medium heat. Spread sardine mixture on bread, top with baby greens and capers and eat!
Lovely work! Would you be happy to link it in to the current Food on Friday over at Carole’s Chatter which is creating a collection of recipes using anchovies or sardines? This is the link . I do hope to see you there. Cheers
Oh girl, you and I would be fast friends! I LOVE sardines!
Never tried Sardines but your tartines make me want to have some.
Thanks–hope you get a chance to try them sometime soon!
My dad also introduced a lot of different kinds of foods to me and my brother and sister when we were little. We always had to at least taste it .. he was always trying to expand our palate. I am actually super glad that he did that! These actually look really good! I will give sardines a try! Thanks for this recipe! And dude, totally going to try that bread recipe too!
Alice, you are the BEST! Pretty much everyone else has been less than enthused about the main ingredient here 🙂 That’s so cool that your dad did that–I suppose my parents did to a lesser degree but yes–having an expanded palate is such a plus! So uncomfortable when you have a picky eater in a large group of people you’re trying to feed.
Hmm, not a fan of sardines, but I would at least try these.
I’ve never had a sardine before and what is this life-changing bread you speak of? It looks incredible – I’m going to go check out the bread recipe. It might take me a while longer to try a sardine 😉
Haha REALLY! You must try a sardine! Preferably at an Italian restaurant where they fry them in oil and crust them in breadcrumbs–can’t help but love ’em that way! And the bread–so delish. But not quite as delicious as your luscious brioche 🙂
Chris loves sardines but I can’t stand the smell! I think if I mixed it with cilantro (the best herb ever), then maybe I could do it. I’m definitely gonna make this for him; thanks for sharing!!
Ooh yay. Alex I really hope you try it/like it!! Haha…you can double or triple up on cilantro maybe 🙂 Lemme know if Chris likes it! I know you guys are very budget-conscious and sardines are just so darn cheap, so they’re really perfect…and I really should eat them more often!
omg I’ve made the life-changing bread before as soon as it was posted, and I love it! I would make this sardine spread thang just so I could see how well it pairs with the bread. Let’s be real, it looks pretty amazing. I’m a little embarassed though, I had to google sardines to see what they actually looked like. Can’t say I’ve ever had them which makes me more willing to try?! I might have to wait till my housemate isn’t around though, he is totally NOT cool with anything that doesn’t fit under the meat&potatoes meal category. whatevs, his loss!
Right??? So good. And YAY for you being the first open-minded person to trying sardines! I really loved the really flavorful, tuna salad consistency of the spread over the nutty, seedy bread. I hope you like it too!! Hahaha yeah I am actually really self-conscious about eating sardines around my roommates since I grew up with a family that literally ran from the room!! Let me know how it goes!
Hi Erika,
Got to know you and your blog via CCU! Nice to meet you 😀
Strange that we like anchovies but never sardines…. Ops!
Hope to keep in touch. Following you via Twitter.
Zoe
Hi Zoe, thanks so much for stopping by! You should give sardines another try…they’re delicious, I promise! 🙂 Nice to meet you as well!
Pretty and healthy tartlettes 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks Uru 🙂
Well they look pretty! I’m not a sardines fan either but I’d definitely taste test them. Who knows, maybe they’d be good like this 🙂
Haha thanks Alex! I’m pretty sure my bf thought he’d do no more than taste test them, but he actually ended up eating a bunch! I’m so sad, I tried to visit your blog earlier today but my network is blocking it for some reason! I can’t wait to catch up with your blog soon 🙂
I love you…but I can’t love sardines 😛
Lol! That’s okay–I understand from growing up around half my family 🙂
P.S. I’m coming to NYC in two weeks to visit grad schools and such! Let me know if you’d be free to grab a meal or something–I’d love to meet up!