Title: Sardines In Spicy Tomato Sauce
Categories: Filipino, Fish
Yield: 4 Servings
2 tb Olive oil; +3 tb, divided
2 lg Shallots; minced (2 tb)
4 cl Garlic; minced (1 tb)
1/2 ts Dried red pepper flakes
1/2 ts Smoked Spanish paprika or
-regular paprika
1 tb Tomato paste
1 lb Cherry tomatoes (500 g);
-halved
1/2 c White wine (125 ml)
1/4 c Water (65 ml)
1 tb Fish sauce
1 lb Fresh sardines (8 to 10)
-(500g); cleaned and gutted
2 ts Salt
1 ts Freshly ground black pepper
1 tb Fresh calamansi or lemon
-juice
Fresh calamansi limes or
-lemon wedges; for squeezing
-over the sardines
Heat 2 tb of the olive oil in a large oven-proof saute pan over
moderately high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, dried red pepper
flakes, and paprika and cook until the shallot becomes soft and
translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine,
continuing to cook until the tomato paste just begins to brown, 1
minute more.
Toss the cherry tomatoes into the pan and saute until the tomatoes
soften and have released some of their juices, 5-7 minutes.
Pour the wine into the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits
from the bottom of the pan. Add the water and fish sauce and simmer
until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit, about 5 minutes more.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
Season the sardines inside and out with the salt and black pepper. In
a large bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tb of olive oil with the
calamansi juice. Using your hands, toss the sardines in the olive oil
and citrus mixture, making sure the mixture dresses the fish inside
and out.
Place an oven rack in the closest position to the broiler and turn the
broiler on high heat.
Remove the sardines from the bowl and arrange them in a single layer
on top of the tomato sauce in the saute pan. Place the pan underneath
the broiler and broil for 10-12 minutes, flipping the fish over once.
The sardines are ready when the skin is nicely browned and crisp and
the thickest part of the fish easily flakes from the tip of a knife.
Serve with steamed white rice and calamansi limes, or lemon wedges,
on the side for squeezing over the fish.
Recipe by The Adobo Road Cookbook by Marvin Gapultos, 2013
