Drink with Hand Crafted by Geoff Hardy Tempranillo
Here i would sometimes suggest a lovely white wine but the robust sardine and stuffing flavours will work with the light to medium bodied tempranillo.
Serves 2 tapas
Ingredients
6 large sardines Finely chopped shallots Crushed garlic Lemon juice and rind Toasted breadcrumbs Egg Olive oil Vegetable oil Parsley Sea Salt Fresh cracked black pepper Smoked pimentónMethod
Firstly I’m woeful with measurements and numbers so it’s very much taste as you go... Fillet 6 sardines and set aside, meanwhile heat a pan and sautee finely chopped Shallots and garlic in pan - do not colour, you want the sweetness of the shallot and garlic to show through. At this point I like to research the wine I will be drinking with the food by having a glass sitting just to the left of me for periodic tasting. In a low oven or dry pan toast your breadcrumbs until brown, careful not to burn. Combine chopped parsley, lemon rind and garlic/shallot mix in a bowl with toasted bread crumbs, season with good salt and pepper. The mix should be a little moist but still retain a lovely texture from the breadcrumbs, nobody likes a soggy crumb. Probably a good time right now to re-visit the wine and make sure all is still okay there. Grab you sardines and stuff 'em, not too much but just enough. Once stuffed, place in a fish grill basket and turn on BBQ, you may try talking romantically to it or tell it that it looks pretty the way the sun catches the grill plates. After you’ve got your BBQ heating up, turn your attention to the mayo... Whisk an egg yolk, then add pimentón and whisk together. Slowly add half of a 250ml combination of vegetable and olive oil, say around 75% to 25% to the yolk whilst whisking continuously, don’t stop. Once thickened add 1 tablespoon of vinegar, remember don’t stop whisking. By now you may have a pale red colour happening, go ahead and slowly add the remaining oil whilst whisking, you’ll be a whisk master by this point. Season with a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Here’s the really important bit, once mayonnaise is finished be sure to put it in a rustic old serving bowl that conjures memories of warm Spanish nights sitting with friends eating and drinking. Okay, after making sure that the wine is still a good match for the sardines, your BBQ should be well and truly ready, open the grill basket and rub some olive oil on to the fish, season with salt and pepper then grill for 2-3 mins each side before removing from the heat and resting for a minute. Serve on a charming vintage platter with a dressed green salad, toasted bread and your mayonnaise. Savour on a warm summer's night with the sun setting and the echoes of the ocean waves in the background as you pour your friends and yourself the extra glass of wine you know you want but shouldn’t have, then laugh, eat and drink the night away...
