Grilled Sardines

With Billy Brandolini

If your experience with sardines is limited to what you get from a can then you are in for a special treat with Portuguese Sardines, or Sardinhas as they are known in Portuguese. Good, grilled sardines are a shock for most people that have only ever had them canned. Even Oprah includes sardines as one of the 25 superfoods to include in your diet. According to her  “Wild-caught sardines are low in mercury and high in vitamin D; a three-ounce serving has as much calcium as a cup of milk. Even better, they're one of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's top picks for sustainability.”

Executive Chef Billy Brandolini of Ceia Kitchen & Bar shows us his way of brining and grilling sardines a la Portuguese style. Grilled sardines are also eaten all over Southern Europe along the Mediterranean as well as Portugal. In Portugal sardines are very popular, especially in the summer at outdoor celebrations and festivals, when the sardines are the fattest. Many Portuguese have fond memories of eating them in childhood. To the Portuguese they are like hot dogs and hamburgers, available from outdoor vendors as well as private food gatherings.

Sardines are salted and seasoned before grilling and can be eaten as a snack or as part of a larger meal. They have a rich, assertive flavor and can be served on a large platter at special gatherings.

Fresh sardines are harder to come by but you can often buy freshly frozen sardines from Portugal at a fish store or ethnic grocery, especially in Portuguese neighborhoods.

Ingredients

4 Portuguese Sardinhas (Sardines)

Brine:
1 cup cider vinegar
3 cups water
1 lemon zested and juiced
1 lime zested and juiced
¼ cup salt
3 tablespoons Portuguese spice ( smoked paprika, coriander, granulated garlic, chopped cilantro, salt and pepper)

Smoked Pepper Puree:
2 red bell peppers, seeded and de-ribbed
4 cloves minced garlic
1 minced shallot
1 tablesppons Portuguese spice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Instructions

Brine:
1. Mix all brine ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Taste the mixture to insure desired flavor.
2. Place Sardinhas in a shallow dish and pour the brine over it. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at overnight.

Smoked Pepper Puree:
1. Grill peppers on each side until cooked tender. Skin should be charred lightly on each side.
2. Sauté shallot and garlic in a sauté pan with 1 teaspoon olive oil until translucent.
3. Combine grilled peppers, sautéed garlic and shallots, cider vinegar and Portuguese spice in a food processor. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the food processor until all ingredients are smooth and well combined. Season puree with salt and pepper to taste.

Grilling Sardinhas:
1. Preheat grill to medium high heat.
2. Grill the Sardinhas for about 3-4 minutes per side.

Ceia pairs this dish with a grilled citrus frisee salad. At home the grilled Sardinhas would pair nicely with a simple mixed green salad dressed with lemon and olive oil.

Recipe courtesy of Billy Brandolini, Ceia Kitchen & Bar, 2011.

Ceia?s top chef hails from Haverhill Massachusetts where he grew up in a family that has spawned more than one successful executive chef. ?Chef Brando? as he is called, trained at Le Cordon Bleu, the internationally prestigious culinary arts program, before ambitiously beginning his career under the personal tutelage of famed French transplant Chef Jean-Pierre at Riviera Restaurant. Ceia is not his first turn at a popular Newburyport eatery, having been Sous Chef at Ten Center Street where his culinary talent and innovation caught the attention of then manager cum Ceia restaurateur, Nancy Batista-Caswell. Most recently he cooked alongside his brother at Seaglass Restaurant in Salisbury. Already the culinary versatility and creativity of Chef Brando has received an impressive wave of published praised by veteran restaurant critics, foodie bloggers and the dining citizenry. A People?s Best Chef nod and event bookings are keeping him busy amidst creating standout seasonal menus that rotate every two months. From his spectacular Banana Brule with Clove Meringue to his delicate handmade pastas like the free-formed Agnolini with Lobster, Spring Peas and Quail Yolk Bearnaise, each day presents a new fresh sustainable seafood catch, neighboring farms organic harvests, local cheeses and all natural meats. These are the colors of Chef Brando?s culinary palette-- authentic foods prepared with worldly flair, so that every bite you enjoy is reminiscent of a memorable vacation meal or treasured generational family recipe. A passionate naturist, Chef Brando?s commitment to replenishing land ensures that anything you didn't finish goes back to nourish local farmland. Don?t expect Chef Brando to hide in our kitchen. He likes to be the host of the party and at Ceia you are his guest. It will not be uncommon for him to arrive to your table to join briefly in your discussion, answer any questions about your menu selection or to tell you about upcoming Ceia events he?s planning. He understands how important fabulous restaurants are to Newburyport?s appeal as a vibrant New England tourist destination and bi-state business community and has already begun to accept invitations to Boston-area charity and food events.