Grilled Sardines, Greek Style: Method and Lemon Dressing

Grilled sardines, Greek style, need very little: salt, olive oil, a hot grill and a lemon dressing. This page summarises the Greek-style method from Real Greek Recipes, which serves 2 with 15 minutes of prep and 10 minutes of cooking. It is a recipe summary, not a claim that we cooked it.

Ingredients (2 servings)

• 600 g (1.3 lb) whole fresh sardines
• 3 tablespoons olive oil for the fish, plus a little to brush the grates
• ⅔ teaspoon kosher salt
• For the dressing: 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• Dried oregano and lemon quarters to serve

Method

• Soak the sardines in very cold water for 20 minutes to firm the skin, rub off any scales with your thumb, rinse well, then chill them uncovered on a plate for 1 hour.
• Whisk the dressing until it thickens slightly. The source says a piping bottle also works.
• Heat a grill pan, griddle or barbecue on high and brush the grates with oil. The surface must be very hot so the fish does not stick.
• Pat the fish dry, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and mix gently to coat.
• Grill the first side 2 minutes on high (5 to 6 on medium), flip, then grill 3 more minutes on high (6 to 7 on medium).
• Plate the fish, re-whisk the dressing if it has separated, pour it over, sprinkle with oregano and serve with lemon.

Handling tips from the source

• Gutting is optional. The page says sardine innards are not bitter like anchovies’ and that the fish should be handled as little as possible. If you do gut them, make a small cut on the belly just behind the head and gently pull out the innards.
• Sardines can flare up from their own fat. On a barbecue, lower the heat to medium or medium-low if needed.
• Flip with flat tongs, holding the fish by the head. If the heads are off, use a spatula or hold the tail.

Food safety

The FDA advises cooking most seafood to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Without a thermometer, the flesh should look opaque and separate easily with a fork. The FDA also lists freshness cues for fish: a mild smell, clear shiny eyes and firm flesh.

Nutrition

The recipe page prints a nutrition label of 921 kcal, 50 g protein and 81 g fat, but does not say whether that is per serving or for the whole recipe, so treat it with caution and do not rely on it for dietary planning.

More fish dishes on the site: seared tuna steak and lemon garlic butter shrimp.

Sources

• Real Greek Recipes: Grilled Sardines Greek-style
• US FDA: Selecting and Serving Fresh and Frozen Seafood Safely