Sardines are in abundance along the coast of Morocco, and many families prepare these tasty fish weekly.
Baking is one of the quickest, easiest ways to prepare whole sardines. The simple additions of salt, pepper and olive oil are all that's needed to enhance the natural good flavor of this fish. Lemon is an optional garnish.
Allow approximately one-half pound (250g) of sardines per person when serving baked sardines as an entrée.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- whole fresh sardines
- olive oil
- coarse sea salt or rock salt
- freshly ground pepper
- fresh lemon (thinly sliced or cut into wedges)
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C).
Wash the sardines in a bowl of water, scraping off any scales with a small knife. Drain the sardines.
Generously sprinkle rock salt or coarse sea salt on the bottom of a shallow baking dish or baking sheet with sides. Arrange the sardines on top of the salt.
Generously pepper the fish, and drizzle each sardine with a little olive oil. Sprinkle on additional rock salt, and top with some sliced lemon slices if desired.
Bake the sardines for 10 minutes, or just until the skin slides off easily and the fish is tender.
Transfer the sardines to a plate, and serve with lemon wedges as a garnish.
