Oct 26

Oct 26 Gutted

Every now and then I wander into my local supermarket and find that a huge amount of fish gets dumped in the bargain shelf - presumably because no one wants it or knows what to do with it.

Normally it’s fish heads.

Now I am almost certain there is something useful that can be done with fish heads but I am… let’s be honest … a little squeamish.

Which made it all the more curious that I picked up a packet of fresh whole sardines. What possessed me? The allure of a bargain, that’s what. Four sardines for a pound! That’s what.

Took a quick tutorial on gutting fish online and now I feel like a confident expert. Far easier than I expected and certainly not as messy. The process is not dissimilar to taking the batteries out of a transistor radio. (for those that remember.)

Into the Air Fryer with some garlic and a spritz of garlic olive oil and voila! Or should that be Eccolo lì.

Named - of course they were, why would you think any differently - after the Italian island of Sardinia, where they were once found in abundance.

These little fish are packed with essential nutrients - those fatty acids which are good for the heart and mind, plus a rather of lot of protein and Vitamin D. Unlike some other fish, they are quite low in Mercury.

I sense that Sardines have fallen out of favour in the UK, along with a lot of other fish, sadly. They were big in the 18th and 19th Centuries with the Cornish Pilchard being shipped around the world, principally to Catholic countries where it was a popular Lenten dish.

After 1880 demand fell because fresh and frozen fish were easy to get hold of.

A recent rebranding to become Cornish Sardines is bringing them back into favour.

Oh, the difference between Sardines and Pilchards? None, apart from Pilchards have to be older and over six inches long.

Apart from being tasty, they are apparently vital to marine ecosystems. We share our love for them with tuna, dolphins and seabirds.

Interesting facts:

Fermented Sardines are the main ingredient in Worcestershire Sauce.
The oil from Sardines goes into making lino, paint and varnish.
Tinned Sardines often taste better with age.
The Portuguese saying ‘Cada um puxa a brasa à sua sardinha’ translates as ‘each one pulls the coal to their own sardine’ everyone’s watching their own backs!

Enjoy!