Name: Quick-pickled sardines with crushed roast cherry tomatoes
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 8 butterflied sardine fillets (about 100gm each), pin-boned; 250 ml (1 cup) white wine vinegar; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 1 tsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns; 1 fresh bay leaf; 2 golden shallots, shaved on a mandolin; 800 gm heirloom cherry tomatoes; 200 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 4 thyme sprigs, plus extra leaves to serve; 4 thick slices sourdough bread; 1 garlic clove, halved; To serve: lemon wedges

Quick-pickled sardines with crushed roast cherry tomatoes

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for quick-pickled sardines with crushed roast cherry tomatoes.

Serves 4

Cook

30M

Ingredients

8 butterflied sardine fillets (about 100gm each), pin-boned

250 ml (1 cup) white wine vinegar

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns

1 fresh bay leaf

2 golden shallots, shaved on a mandolin

800 gm heirloom cherry tomatoes

200 ml extra-virgin olive oil

4 thyme sprigs, plus extra leaves to serve

4 thick slices sourdough bread

1 garlic clove, halved

To serve: lemon wedges

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 200C. Place sardines in a single layer in a non-reactive container. Bring vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaf and 50ml water to the simmer in a saucepan over high heat, add shallot, then pour over sardines and set aside to pickle (20-25 minutes). Drain sardines (discard liquid), drizzle with 80ml oil, season to taste and set aside.

2.Meanwhile, scatter tomatoes and thyme in a roasting pan, drizzle with 2 tbsp oil, season to taste and roast until skins blister (15-20 minutes).

3.Preheat grill to high heat. Drizzle bread with remaining oil and grill, turning once, until golden (2-3 minutes). Rub with cut-side of garlic, top with tomato mixture, sardines and shallot, season to taste, scatter with extra thyme and serve with lemon wedges.

Styling by Emma Knowles

Styling by Alice Storey