Name: Sardine escabeche with white asparagus and orange salad
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 12 butterflied sardines; For dusting: seasoned plain flour; 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil; 1 Spanish onion; 350 ml sherry vinegar; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tsp smoked sweet paprika; 2 bunches white asparagus, trimmed; 2 oranges, thinly sliced crossways; 1 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves; 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Escabeche is traditionally cured overnight, but we’ve made a quick version here. You could also serve the sardines the following day.

Ingredients

12 butterflied sardines

For dusting: seasoned plain flour

80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil

1 Spanish onion

350 ml sherry vinegar

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp smoked sweet paprika

2 bunches white asparagus, trimmed

2 oranges, thinly sliced crossways

1 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves

50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Main

1.Lightly dust skin-side of sardines in seasoned flour, shaking off excess. Heat 20ml oil in a large frying pan over high heat, add half the sardines, skin-side down, cook until crisp (2-3 minutes), turn and cook for 30 seconds. Place carefully in a deep-sided non-reactive tray in a single layer, set aside. Wipe pan clean with absorbent paper, repeat with remaining sardines and oil.

2.Meanwhile, slice half the onion into thin rings and set aside. Coarsely chop remaining onion and combine with 300ml vinegar, garlic and paprika in a small saucepan over medium heat, bring to the boil, pour over sardines and set aside to marinate (10-15 minutes).

3.Meanwhile, blanch asparagus (1-2 minutes), then refresh, drain and halve lengthways. Combine in a bowl with onion rings, orange and parsley. Whisk remaining vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil in a bowl to combine, toss through salad, season to taste.

4.To serve, remove sardines from marinade with a slotted spoon, drizzle over a little marinade, and serve with salad.