Canned sardines & other tinned seafood

[wannabechef]

So this summer, to my surprise, I developed an affection for sardines. Only problem is, they were fresh, grilled sardines caught that day in the Mediterranean Sea. Not something I can easily get throughout the year.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for things to do with canned sardines besides sticking 'em between 2 slices of bread or mashing them to a paste. Is there any way I can come close to recreating what I ate over the summer?

Has anyone tried taking canned sardines and roasting them? Or maybe pan searing them to get crispy? There has to be some good things to do with this cheap, healthy and delicious ingredient!

Thanks -

~WBC

Edited September 8, 2022 by Smithy
Adjusted title (log)

[Anna N]

Somehow I have my doubts that you can do much with them. I googled canned sardines hoping for some hits but few showed up. We LOVE the canned sardines in tomato sauce and often eat them whole on buttered toast! They are so economical and supposedly healthy. But I will be watching this thread to see if there are other ideas for using them. Sometimes I can get canned sardines at 3 for $1 - who can beat that!

[japanesegeek]

Grilled bread topped with avocado and canned sardines. Yum!

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/coo...o_sardines.html

[ChefCrash]

You can get whole frozen sardines at most oriental markets.

[budrichard]

"Is there any way I can come close to recreating what I ate over the summer?"

No. -Dick

[petite tête de chou]

So this summer, to my surprise,  I developed an affection for sardines. Only problem is, they were fresh, grilled sardines caught that day in the Mediterranean Sea. Not something I can easily get throughout the year.

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for things to do with canned sardines besides sticking 'em between 2 slices of bread or mashing them to a paste. Is there any way I can come close to recreating what I ate over the summer?

Has anyone tried taking canned sardines and roasting them? Or maybe pan searing them to get crispy? There has to be some good things to do with this cheap, healthy and delicious ingredient!

Thanks -

~WBC

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There's some really good ideas on this thread- Brunswick sardines in soybean oil, what can I do with these? Yum!

[nacho]

Grilled bread topped with avocado and canned sardines. Yum!

http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/coo...o_sardines.html

←

OH MY GOD that sounds good.

Thanks!

On a digressive note, I had been thinking about buying that cookbook (Wolfert's The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen), and I'm pretty sure this just put me over the edge.

[OnigiriFB]

One of my favorite ways is to make a yum, which is a thai salad. My dad would often buy the canned sardines in tomato sauce found in most asian markets. It's probably the quickest thai meal I can make. Just open can of sardines, toss in sliced shallots or red onion, minced thai peppers, pinch of sugar, maybe salt, and squeeze of lime. Mix well. You add the flavourings as you like it. I also toss in some chopped cilantro if I have some on hand. Serve with sliced cucumbers, leaf lettuce, and rice. Yum in more ways than one!

[divalasvegas]

Many Southern US households would often eat canned seafood such as salmon, mackeral and even sardines for breakfast. I know fish for breakfast may sound odd to some but this is how it was done: fry up some bacon until crisp, remove from frying pan, add diced onions and sautee until slightly soft. At this point add canned sardines, oil and all--how many cans is up to you of course. Do not use sardines packed in water since they are beyond vile. Then add black pepper, maybe a little seasoning salt/creole seasoning and water. Cover and simmer for a couple of minutes and serve over hot buttered grits and that crispy bacon on the side. Pass the hot sauce. Yum.

[DanM]

Canned Sardines, I think, are one of the more under appreciated foods out there. Personally, I love them, especially two row brislings in olive oil. On the flip side, I think the sardines canned in mustard, hot sauce, or other pungent sauces to be lower quality requiring a sauce to cover them up.

I typically make a quick lunch out of them with avocado, lime juice, and hot sauce on toast. Any other sardine lovers out there? How do you like them?

[Kim Shook]

I love sardines but my family can't bear even the smell (same with smoke oysters, which I adore), so I don't indulge often. I like the ones that you mentioned with a little drizzle of sherry vinegar and a sprinkling of finely minced shallots on a water biscuit. For a really trashy lunch I love the ones with mustard all smooshed up on a saltine!

[prasantrin]

Many more ideas here

My mother mentioned she mashed up some sardines and fried them with some onions, garlic, ketchup and some other stuff. She schmeared it on bread to give to the kids on the farm, and they all loved it. Keep in mind, these are kids from the farm (in the Philippines), so their tastes may be quite different.

[conifer]

Some dijon on toast with a sardine on top. Yum. Or with a salad of lettuce, tomato, olives, cucumber, feta and mint.

[Anna N]

I happen to like the "lesser quality" ones canned in tomato sauce. We often make a quick, nutrious and very cheap lunch with these on toast.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Paula Wolfert's Slow Mediterranean cookbook has a great recipe for grilled toasts topped with avocado, slivers of scallions, and balsamic-marinated sardines or anchovies.

I make them all the time for parties and people are astonished how great it tastes!

[sparrowgrass]

AnnaN, those are my favorites, too. I like them on saltines.

[qrn]

my favorite was kipper snacks,way back in the old days, the things I have bought lately, are not nearly as good as I remember,,(might be my memory ,however....)

Bud

[_john]

Canned sardines in olive oil. The ones from Tunisia and Spain are good and cheap (less than $1 per can). make sure to check the ingredients. Sardines, olive oil, salt. You haven't had canned sardines until you try the Japanese ones. Meji-ya's canned sardines are great. they come with a bay leaf cut into a square shape.

[GlorifiedRice]

I prefer the boneless Cento brand.

I also LOVE anchovies out the can

[David A. Goldfarb]

I like kippered snacks and sardines in oil. There seem to be two kinds of kippered snacks--one that's really smoked and one that is kind of smoke flavored, and the good ones are really smoked but seem harder to find than they used to be.

[toolprincess]

sardines in oil, drizzled with cider vinegar and peppered with saltine crackers.

I don't eat the bones though. I know you can and I know they are good for you but I just don't like the texture.

[Beebs]

With finely minced shallots or red onion, dusting of pepper, generous dash of Maggi sauce and sesame oil. I like it slapped on crackers.

[OliverB]

I haven't come across a canned fish I don't like, but I'm alone with that in my house. Usually a late night snack with some crackers or crusty bread. In oil, in water, mustard, tomato sauce, smoked, all good by me. So handy to have in the pantry for the quick fix hunger!

[Toliver]

My dad would eat them mashed up with diced white onion and a splash of cider vinegar on saltines. My brothers and I would scarf them down. I think my dad got a kick out of seeing us eat them because I think most kids probably wouldn't.

[KARENR65]

Love, Love Love canned sardines! Sliced onions, vinegar and crusty Italian bread to soak up the juices!