Talk to most people about Russian cuisine and the likelihood is they’ll say, “Don’t they just eat meat and potatoes; or eat caviar and drink vodka?” I’m hoping to try and change people’s attitudes as there is so much more to this nation’s cuisine. One of my favourite Russian zakuski dishes (though I realise they are not to everyone’s taste) are marinated sardines. They are served cold so they are an ideal starter for a dinner party as they can be prepared in advance.
Here’s my recipe…
Ingredients
Sardines, gutted and cleaned
2 white onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
500ml fish stock
1 bay leaf
4 tbsp cider vinegar
50g plain flour
Instructions
Toss the sardines in flour and fry in oil until browned
Remove sardines from pan and allow to cool
Meanwhile, fry the vegetables in oil
Pour over the stock and add the bay leaf
Cover and simmer for 20 minutes
Add vinegar to taste and leave to cool
Pour the marinade over the sardines and allow to marinade for up to three hours
To serve, place on a platter and drizzle over the marinade
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