Sautéed Canned Sardines and Tomatoes
Saturday Morning Yard Breakfast
Pop a pull-tab tin of sardines and drain it into a hot Saturday morning skillet, using the oil straight from the tin to fry the aromatics, building a fragrant base of half a Scotch bonnet, scallion, and thyme as the oil hisses. Crucially, a final splash of vinegar is used to 'cut the rawness,' neutralizing any overly fishy notes and brightening the pan. Scoop it piping hot over hard dough bread or heavy water crackers.
Before you start
Drain the tin oil into the skillet.
Open the tins of sardines and carefully pour the packing oil directly into a medium frying pan to serve as the highly flavorful fat base for the dish.
Ingredients
- canned sardines in oil8 oz
- yellow onion1/2 med
- garlic cloves2 small
- Roma tomato1 med
- scallion1 med
- Scotch bonnet pepper1/2 small
- fresh thyme sprigs2 small
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- white vinegar1 tsp
Method
- 01
Sauté the aromatic vegetables.
Place the skillet with the sardine oil over medium heat, and once shimmering, add the chopped onion, minced garlic, scallion, diced tomato, Scotch bonnet pepper, and fresh thyme sprigs.
- 02
Build the flavor base.
Cook the vegetable mixture for about 3 to 4 minutes until the onions soften and the tomatoes break down slightly to create a fragrant, chunky base, then stir in the black pepper.
- 03
Gently incorporate the sardines.
Transfer the sardines into the skillet and use a fork to break the fish apart into large pieces, being careful not to over-stir so the delicate fish doesn't turn to mush.
- 04
Cut the rawness.
After the fish has heated for about 2 minutes, sprinkle the white vinegar evenly over the mixture to neutralize the fishy flavor, simmer for one final minute, and serve immediately.
Notes
Leave the bones intact.
Authentic Jamaican preparations leave the soft bones in the fish, which are completely edible and packed with calcium, though you can gently lift out the central spine if preferred.
Adjusting the heat.
If you are sensitive to spice, drop a whole piece of the Scotch bonnet into the pan without cutting it to infuse the oil with its fruity flavor, removing it before eating.
From Cook Jamaican in America.