Monday, June 30, 2008

Grilled Fresh, Plump, Portugese Sardines

Simplicity at its delicious best

picture photograph image scales cleaned off, ready to gut 2008 copyright of sam breach http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/

picture photographer Beccy Breach 2008 copyright of sam breach http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/

picture photograph image sardines about to be griled on the BBQ 2008 copyright of sam breach http://becksposhnosh.blogspot.com/

Nothing added except sea salt and 3 minutes on the grill for each side of the fish. That's all these beauties need. My only regret? Looking back, I think I should probably have taken advantage of the opportunity and eaten a whole lot more sardines whilst I was in Portugal!




QUESTION OF THE DAY graphic copyright sam breach
?When and Where did You Last Eat a Freshly Grilled Sardine?


Archives
2006 | How I made Lemon Curd
2005 | The Helmand

© 2008 Sam Breach
Grilled Fresh, Plump, Portugese Sardines

12:01 AM  

25 Comments:

  • At 30/6/08 02:47, Blogger Barbara said…

    The last time I ate sardines was in Portugal in 2004. I believe there is an Australian sardine so I must search it out to try.

    Great photos Sam.

     

  • At 30/6/08 06:05, Blogger Joana said…

    Hello! My name is Joana and I'm from Portugal. It's great for me to know that everybody loves portuguese sardines! Maybe next time you should stop by Oporto on June 24 during São João's festivities. There you'll see people cooking sardines in every street and serving them with a soup called "Caldo Verde". The smell is unforgettable and you'll have the chance to taste great food with great company(and wine too =P).
    Thanks for the attention!
    Joana =)

     

  • At 30/6/08 06:25, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Sam, you look so lovely with the sardines! Are you coming to the UK too? Let me know if you are! kxx

     

  • At 30/6/08 06:54, Blogger Anita (Married... with dinner) said…

    we had some sardines at COCO500 on Friday with the Hedonia boys and AliceQFoodie. :)

    Before that, the last time was at a farm-to-table supper on the beach, cooked by Jen Biesty (odd coincidence, eh?)

     

  • At 30/6/08 07:00, Blogger Aaron Kagan said…

    Vail, July 2002. Guess it's time again.

    www.teaandfood.blogspot.com

     

  • At 30/6/08 07:37, Blogger Kalyn Denny said…

    What a fun post, and I'd love to try these sardines, preferably in Portugal of course. It sounds like you had a wonderful trip (minus the getting home part, which hopefully you've managed to forget.)

    Great photos and how fun to see that wonderful picture of you!

     

  • At 30/6/08 08:43, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Here, for lunch a few weeks ago! Served up with a squeeze of Meyer lemon.

    Yours look very yummy indeed

     

  • At 30/6/08 09:12, Blogger cookiecrumb said…

    In my backyard three years ago. I'm overdue, but it's hard to buy them in a quantity under 5 lbs (and even then you have to special order). Which is stupid because they're local.

     

  • At 30/6/08 10:51, Blogger La Tartine Gourmande said…

    Lovely pictures Sam. Love them! Especially with those delicious-looking sardines!

     

  • At 30/6/08 12:48, Blogger oregoncoastgirl said…

    At Toro Bravo here in Portland in March. It was delicious.

     

  • At 30/6/08 15:28, Blogger Margaret said…

    I'm almost embarrassed to admit that I've never eaten anything like this :) sardines to me have always been those odd little fish in a can, I look forward to hunting around for a dish like this.

     

  • At 30/6/08 16:35, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    We were in a touristy area and dipped off the beaten path to a family restaurant and I ordered these for lunch one day. They were huge examples of sardines, fresh as could be, and grilled with salt (and maybe pepper). I had some pommes frite on the side and could barely finish the meal, which cost about 5 Euro plus drinks. The taste was simply amazing and nothing like those awful tiny things in a can that you eat at 0200 when you're starving (and inebriated). Not that I'd know.

     

  • At 30/6/08 17:29, Blogger Owen said…

    I think it was 1974 - maybe 1975 - the Portuguese revolution had just happened and my family drove to Portugal from England in a VW bus and stayed for 2 glorious weeks in Viana do Castello north of Oporto. We had grilled sardines several times. Also many custard pastries, paella and a LOT of other great food. I still remember the fizzy quince drink - can't remember what it is called.

    We all got given bottles of white port when we left our hotel - including the kids (my sister was seven at the time, I was twelve).

    Sadly not since although I almost bought some at a fish market near Monterey last year.

     

  • At 30/6/08 17:55, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Grilled fresh sardines: I had them yesterday at-- of all places-- a Bosnian restaurant in Houston, Texas!

     

  • At 30/6/08 18:24, Blogger Alice Q. Foodie said…

    I've actually had them twice recently, I think they're making a come-back. I had them at a new place down here called the Sea Rocket Bistro (specializing in local seafood and I had a bite of Sean's at Coco 500 last weekend.

    I am sorry I missed you up there - hopefully I will see you on my next trip - I'd love to go to Bar Crudo again!

     

  • At 30/6/08 19:25, Blogger Miche said…

    March 17th, chez moi
    Squeamish
    I'm such a wimp.

     

  • At 30/6/08 21:44, Blogger Catherine said…

    probably never, but I have to say you look so sweet in that pic.

     

  • At 1/7/08 06:56, Blogger Sam said…

    Thanks for the comments everyone. Joana - it's a shame I was nowhere near Oporto since I was in Portugal on June 24th! I know the caldo verde soup too. Maybe I will try it with some Bay Area sardines?

    Keiko - thanks - I have no plans to visit the UK unfotunately. It was nice to hang out with my family whislt they were all on vacation this time, instead of traipsing all around London/Bristol/Paris/Ireland as usual. But the trouble is it means I miss out on my friends like you...

    For the record, and in answer to my own question, apart from the Bay Area local sardines Amanda and I marinated raw to make 'Fish & Chips for our English dinner party, I think I have only had fresh grilled sardines twice in my life before last week.

    The first time it was 1980 in France and I was staying in Landes with a family. I didn't think I liked sardines since I'd only ever had them from a tin before then, I ended up eating 6 that day.

    The second time, in my early 30s I won a weekend away in Lisbon. I took my friend Elisa and we had grilled sardines there.

    They are so delcious and so local here in the Bay Area, I am now wondering why I don't eat them more often here?

     

  • At 1/7/08 11:04, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Yay sardines! I last ate them 2 weeks ago. Now I'm craving some more... and a trip to Portugal.

     

  • At 1/7/08 21:40, Blogger Casey said…

    I had fabulous fresh sardines a few weeks ago at La Posta in Santa Cruz. I also bought some at the Cabrillo Farmers' Market recently and roasted them -- they were good but not as sublime as chef Chris Avila's.

     

  • At 3/7/08 15:06, Blogger ChrisB said…

    I'm going to miss my sardines now I'm home!

     

  • At 3/7/08 15:10, Blogger Sam said…

    Sorry you miss the sardines, but what about missing your daughters?

     

  • At 4/7/08 12:22, Blogger Beccy said…

    Until last week is was five years for me, I hope it won't be five years again!

     

  • At 1/8/08 13:52, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    This is totally ridiculous, but it was July 2000 in an adorable bistro (of course, I can't remember its name) in London. I have been dreaming about those sardines ever since, and have never gotten up the nerve to try to recreate them. They were ridiculously good.

     

  • At 23/7/09 17:50, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Grilled sardines just the other day.
    My neighbors did not dig the aroma, but they were delicious (the fish, not the neighbors).

     

Post a Comment

<< Home