How to Make Sardines in Vinegar
This week I went with my mother to her fishmonger in Tortosa (I'm on holiday in the village), and when I saw the sardines I decided to buy a few to cure them in vinegar.
It's usually a cheap fish; yesterday they were 10 euros a kilo, which doesn't seem that cheap to me, but they were super fresh.
Since they were very fresh, I marinated them in vinegar as if they were anchovies, a way of eating them that I find extraordinary.
I cleaned and filleted them; soon I'll explain how I do it.
I put a layer of fillets (mini loins) in a container where I'd first put a little salt on the bottom, then after the first layer more salt and more sardines. When they were all in, I added sherry vinegar until they were covered, gave them a stir so the vinegar reached them all, and left them covered in the fridge for three hours.
I like them rawer, with only 40 minutes in vinegar, but I'm going to eat them with some friends, so I wanted to make sure everyone would like them. Then I took them out and put them in another container, also in layers, and added olive oil until they were covered.
To eat them you have a thousand options, from placing them on slices of toasted bread barely rubbed with a hint of garlic and a little of the oil from the sardines themselves, to enriching a salad, like the one I had at the Restaurant Thalassa in Viver (Castellón). To make that salad, put different types of lettuce and green shoots, add capers and finely chopped pickled spring onions, a little oil, and toss well without breaking them. Put the salad on a plate and, as a final dressing, add tomato jam on top, then place the sardines, in pieces or whole so they can be seen, and enjoy a super-refreshing salad. The acidity of the sardines, capers and spring onions stands out against the sweetness of the tomato jam. It's great.
As always, click on the image to see it larger.
A later recommendation: freeze the sardines before eating them this way to avoid Anisakis; you can clean them and freeze the loins.
Tips and frequently asked questions
Do I need to freeze the sardines first?
Yes, it is strongly recommended. Raw or marinated fish can carry Anisakis, and vinegar does not kill it. Freeze the cleaned fillets at −20 °C for at least 5 days (the usual recommendation for home freezers) and thaw them in the fridge before marinating.
How long should they stay in the vinegar?
About 40 minutes if you like them almost raw and very juicy; up to 3 hours if you prefer them whiter and firmer, closer to classic boquerones.
Which vinegar should I use?
Sherry vinegar gives them a lot of character. White wine vinegar is milder and also works well.
How long do they keep?
Covered in olive oil and stored in the fridge in an airtight container, they keep well for 4–5 days.
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