Sardines stuffed with leftover spinach risotto

Nice things can be easy. Like the recipe for stuffed sardines I am sharing today :)

A dish packed with Omega 3 and seasonal goodness, cheap and incredibly versatile, a recipe that can be twisted in infinite ways.

For the filling I used some leftover risotto with spinach. It had dried a little bit out from the previous day, so I added a little bit of water to recover its creaminess.

Leftovers are always handy (and risotto and salads with grains are a great option for this recipe), but in case you don’t have any, other options are mashed vegetable combined with a second ingredient that adds texture (some ideas: mashed potatoes and sautéed spring onions, pea mash with feta cheese and mint, spicy mashed carrots with lentils and sun-dried tomatoes, etc.) or some stale bread worked with herbs and other greens of choice.

STUFFED SARDINES

Ingredients for 4 people:
1/2 kg of sardines, already deboned and opened
black olives
capers
1 organic lemon
breadcrumbs
herb of choice
e.v.o.oil

For the filling:
Leftover risotto (we had some spinach risotto leftovers, but any type will do)
Other alternatives:
- a vegetable mash (potatoes, pea, cauliflower, etc.) combined with a sautéed veg.
- stale bread. Cut it into squares, soak it into a little bit of water for a couple of minutes and combine it with chopped garlic and parsley or with whatever other veg/herb you like.

Method:
Buy the freshest sardines possible and ask your fishmonger to clean, debone and open them.
Rinse them under fresh water and keep them aside.
Prepare your filling. Pre-heat the oven at 180°, grease a sheet of parchment paper and place it on a baking tray.
Put one sardine with the skin on the side of the parchment paper, add the filling with the aid of two spoons, cover with a second sardine. Repeat with the rest of the fish.
Sprinkle some breadcrumbs, the capers and olives, your herb of choice, some lemon zests, more breadcrumbs, a few drops of lemon juice and e.v.o.oil. Bake for about 8 minutes, excellent served hot as well as cold.

Aside, consider preparing a little emulsion with e.v.o.oil, lemon juice and a finely chopped herb to use as extra dressing.