Recipe: Charcoal sardines in saffron vinegar and almond oil

“This simple combination of saffron, almond and sardines is wonderful, says Josh Niland: “the saffron vinegar brings an elegant floral sweetness that perfectly complements the savoury minerality of the grilled fish. It is important that the whole sardines are rested for a couple of minutes after grilling to ensure the flesh comes away from the bone nicely.”

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 as a main

Ingredients

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• 8 sardines, gutted, head and tail on
• 80ml grapeseed oil
• sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp almond oil
• garum or fish sauce, to taste
• slivered almonds, to garnish (optional)To make the saffron vinegar:
• small pinch of saffron threads
• 1 litre of chardonnay vinegar

Method

• To make the saffron vinegar, add the saffron to the vinegar in a sterile mason jar or clean airtight container. Stir to combine and store at room temp for 24 hours minimum. The longer you can leave this to develop flavour the better – it can be made in advance and will keep in the pantry, gradually becoming more flavourful. Use it in salad dressings.
• Either preheat a chargrill pan over a high heat or a charcoal grill with evenly burnt-down embers. Thread the sardines onto metal or soaked bamboo skewers. Brush with the grapeseed oil and season with salt flakes.
• Grill for around a minute on each side, or until evenly coloured and the flesh is warm to the touch.
• Tip the grill rack to free the fish onto a clean surface, or use an offset spatula. While you want the skin to be well coloured, it is critical that the sardines are still a little underdone. The saffron vinegar will finish off the “cooking” process. Leave the fish to rest for 2 mins.
• Brush with almond oil and season with a little salt and a touch of pepper, then place in the centre of a plate. Dress with a spoonful of the saffron vinegar, garum or fish sauce to taste, and a few drops of almond oil. Top with slivered almonds, if you like.To make the garum:
• calculate the total weight of heads, bones and scraps you have from small fish such as sardines, mackerel, sardines or gurnard (removing the gall bladder).
• Measure 50% of that weight in water and add to the trimmings.
• Calculate 20% of the combined weight and add this quantity of fine salt.
• Mix, transfer to a mason jar, seal and place in a circulator bath set to 40°C. Stir once a day for 7 days.
• Store in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to a month.
• Alternatively, garum is available from online food specialists.

Taken from Take One Fish: The New School of Scale-to-Tail Cooking and Eating by Josh Niland, published by Hardie Grant at £26. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £20.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.