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Food & Wine Recipe

Broiled Sardines with Mustard-Shallot Crumbs

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME: 20 MIN
  • SERVINGS: 6 first-course servings
  • •FAST

Star Ingredient: Bela-Olhão Portugal Lightly Smoked Sardines in Olive Oil

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  1. 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
  2. 2 1/2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  3. 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  4. 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  5. 1 small shallot, thinly sliced, slices separated into rings
  6. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  7. Salt
  8. 1/2 cup heavy cream
  9. Four 4- to 4 1/2-ounce cans of large sardines in olive oil—drained, halved lengthwise and boned
  1. Preheat the broiler. In a medium bowl, combine the bread crumbs with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mustard, the parsley, butter, shallot and crushed red pepper. Season lightly with salt.
  2. In a medium, shallow baking dish, whisk the heavy cream with the remaining 1 tablespoon of mustard.
  3. Arrange the sardines in the baking dish, skin side down. Scatter the bread-crumb mixture on top. Broil the sardines 6 inches from the heat for 1 minute and 30 seconds, or until heated through and golden brown. Serve at once.

Suggested Pairing

A tart, palate-cleansing Italian white will check the assertive flavors here. Consider a Pinot Grigio.