Here is a lovely treat! Steamed sardines in a zesty mandarin escabeche marinade… What a great summer lunch this is! And you can make this dish a couple of hours in advance if you like!
These steamed sardines are quite different from all the other sardine recipes that you will find.
But I wanted to try something else this time than just pan fry them.
Easy Steamed Sardines
I see these small sardines in my local supermarket very often lately.
And gosh they sell out like crazy because they are super cheap here. So let’s bring a bunch of fresh sardines home this time then and turn them into a delicious dinner!
Here’s step by step how to clean fresh sardines if yours haven’t been cleaned yet because it is very easy to do.
But if you don’t feel like doing it, then you can ask your fishmonger to do it for you. He or she will if you are lucky.
Are you looking for the KitchenAid Cook Processor recipe?
Then just scroll down to the second recipe here on this page!
Enjoy!
Easy Steamed Sardines with Orange Recipe
- 10 fresh sardines
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar (60 ml)
- ¾ cup water (180 ml)
- 2 cloves
- garlic powder
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 small tangerine sliced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- handful fresh parsley
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- salt
Rinse the sardines, make sure all the scales are gone. Place them on a bed of fresh parsley on the bottom of a large steam basket. Steam the sardines for 8 to 10 minutes until cooked through. Let them cool down after that.
In the meantime combine the red wine vinegar, ¾ cup (180 ml) of water, the cloves, a tiny pinch of garlic powder, the black peppercorns, half of the sliced tangerine, the lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan.
- Place the pan over medium heat until hot and let the mixture cook for 6 to 7 minutes until the liquid has reduced by almost half. Then let the mixture cool down.
Place the sardines in a small baking dish and pour the vinegar mixture on top of them. Top with the rest of the sliced fresh tangerine and extra parsley.
- Cover with cling film or tinfoil and place the sardines in the fridge for 24 hours. Serve cold.
Easy Steamed Sardines – KitchenAid Cook Processor
Here is a lovely treat!
Steamed sardines in a zesty mandarin escabeche marinade…
What a great summer lunch this also is! And you can make this dish a couple of hours in advance if you like!
Cleaning Sardines
Here’s step by step how to clean fresh sardines if yours haven’t been cleaned yet because it is very easy to do.
However if you don’t feel like doing it, then you can ask your fishmonger to do it for you. He or she might do that if you are lucky.
Maybe you can even find ready filleted sardines even!
Yum, my first personal KitchenAid Cook Processor steam recipe!
And what a winner: steamed sardines in a zesty mandarin escabeche marinade!
Result: a fresh and light fish lunch… bring in some grilled bread.
Enjoy!
Easy Steamed Sardines & Oranges Recipe
Steamed sardines in a zesty mandarin escabeche marinade... what a great summer lunch! And you can make this a couple of hours in advance!
- 10 fresh sardines
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar (60 ml)
- 1 ¼ cup water (300 ml)
- 2 cloves
- garlic powder
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 small tangerine sliced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- handful fresh parsley
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
- salt
- Rinse the sardines, make sure all the scales are gone. Then place a bed of fresh parsley on the bottom of the large steam basket and place the sardines on it.
Add the red wine vinegar, ¾ cup (180 ml) water, cloves, a tiny pinch of garlic powder, black peppercorns, half of the sliced tangerine, lemon juice and a pinch of salt to the bowl of the Cook Processor.
Place the steam basket with the sardines on top of the Cook Processor bowl and place the steam lid on it. Select STEAM P1 and press Start to activate the program. Once it’s done, remove the steam basket from the bowl. Be careful, the steam in the bowl is still hot. Let the sardines cool.
The ingredients in the bowl will have reduced quite well. Add the StirAssist to the bowl and pour in the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) of water.
Close the bowl. Set the timer at 3 minutes and the temperature at 200°F (90°C). Press Start. Once done, remove the cooked tangerine slices from the hot vinegar mixture. Place the sardines in a small baking dish and pour the vinegar on top of them. Then top with the rest of the sliced fresh tangerine and extra parsley.
- Cover with cling film or tinfoil and place the sardines in the fridge for 24 hours. Serve cold.
Are fresh sardines healthy?
Fresh sardines are generally considered to be a healthy food.
They are a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals, and are low in calories.
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in high levels in sardines, have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic conditions.
Sardines are also a good source of vitamin B12, vitamin D, selenium, and calcium, which are important nutrients for maintaining bone health and preventing chronic diseases.
Can I replace the fresh sardines with canned sardines in this recipe?
Canned sardines can generally be used as a substitute for fresh sardines.
However, it is important to keep in mind that canned sardines are usually cooked and have a different texture and flavor compared to fresh sardines.
Canned sardines are also often packed in oil or salt, which can affect the overall flavor of the dish.
Do I really need to clean fresh sardines before cooking?
It is up to you if you want to clean fresh sardines before cooking.
This helps to remove any remaining scales, the bitter tasing innards and other unwanted parts that can be unpleasant or look unappetising while eating.
You can also just rinse the fish to remove the scales, but leave them like that.
Once the sardines are cleaned, you can cook them using your preferred method, such as grilling, baking, or frying.
Note that some recipes may call for leaving the head and tail intact for presentation purposes.
In this case, simply clean the sardines and cook them as directed in the recipe.
