[col type=”one-fourth”]
Preparation time
less than 30 mins
[/col]
[col type=”one-fourth”]
Cooking time
10 to 30 mins
[/col]
[col type=”one-fourth”]
Serves
Serves 4
[/col]
[col type=”one-fourth last”]
[/col]
Sardines filled with sweet peppers, aromatic basil and wrapped in Parma ham served with herby cockles and new potatoes.
- 250g/9oz Jersey Royals
- 4 sardines, cleaned, filleted and butterflied (ask your fishmonger to do this)
- 100g/3½oz jarred piquillo peppers, drained and thinly sliced
- 1 bunch basil, leaves thinly sliced
- 6 thin slices Parma ham
- 500g/1lb 2oz cockles, cleaned and scrubbed
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 thyme sprig
- 100g/3½oz samphire
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 bunch dill, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
-
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the Jersey Royals and cook for 10–15 minutes, or until soft to the point of a knife.
-
Meanwhile, open up the sardines and lay the peppers and basil on top. Season with salt and pepper then fold the top fillet over. Wrap each pair of fillets in a slice of ham and hold together with a wooden cocktail stick.
-
Pan-fry the sardines in a dry non-stick fry pan for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, crisp and cooked through.
-
Discard any cockles with broken shells and any that refuse to close when tapped. Put the cockles in a large, lidded saucepan placed over a high heat with a splash of water. Add the garlic and thyme and steam until the cockles have opened. Discard any cockles that remain closed.
-
Drain the potatoes and set aside to steam dry.
-
Pick the cockle meat from the shells and put into a clean bowl, discarding the shells. Strain the cooking liquid onto the cockles, add the samphire, vinegar, shallot and dill and season. Mix well.
-
Divide the sardines and potatoes between two plates, pour over the samphire and cockles and serve.