Grilled Sardines With Baby Fennel Capers And Taggiasca Olives Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire or stovetop grill pan, or light the broiler.
• Season sardines inside and out with salt and pepper and paint both sides lightly with olive oil.
• Lay sardines on the grill and cook them on one side for about 2 minutes, until nicely browned. (Sardines rarely stick to the grill.) Carefully flip sardines and cook for about 2 minutes more, until just done.
• Transfer each portion to individual plates. Put the sliced fennel in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dress with about 2 tablespoons olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Place a pile of dressed fennel evenly on each plate. Serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkle of parsley.

Steps:

• Cook fennel:
• Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook fennel, onion, preserved lemon rind, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add water and braise, covered, stirring occasionally, until fennel is very tender and slightly caramelized and water is evaporated, about 10 minutes. Keep warm, covered.
• Grill sardines while fennel cooks:
• Rinse sardines and pat dry, then spread out on a platter. Drizzle sardines with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with sea salt, fennel seeds, and pepper.
• Heat grill pan over moderately high heat until hot. Oil grill pan and grill sardines, in 2 batches if necessary, turning over once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total per batch. Transfer as cooked to a clean platter with a slotted spatula.
• Stir together lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve sardines on fennel mixture sprinkled with dill and drizzled with lemon dressing.

Steps:

• Trim the root ends of the fennel and peel them with a vegetable peeler. Slice crosswise as thinly as possible. Combine the fennel with the olives, capers, lemon juice, and parsley and allow to marinate while you prepare the sardines.
• Preheat the grill on high. Brush the sardines with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the flesh easily pulls away from the bones. Divide the sardines among 4 plates and spoon the relish over the top, along with any accumulated juices.