2264. MARINATED SARDINES with CHICKPEAS and BACON

serves six


18 small sardines, cleaned
8 mint leaves, to garnish

For the marinade
4 oranges, juiced
30 ml sherry vinegar
salt

For the stuffing
1 red pepper
1 onion, peeled
1 aubergine
2 tbsp olive oil

For the salad
25 grams lardons of bacon
50 grams croutons
125 grams chickpeas, cooked
2 spring onions, chopped

For the vinaigrette
100 ml extra virgin olive oil
15 grams walnuts, chopped
1 orange, juiced
15 ml sherry vinegar
salt
pepper

First make the marinade. Mix together the orange juice, sherry vinegar and salt. Toss the sardines with the marinade in a large dish and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5. Toss the red pepper, onion and aubergine in the olive oil in a roasting tray. Roast for 30 minutes until tender. Cut the roasted red pepper, onion and aubergine into short, thin strips and toss together. Fry the bacon in a small, heavy-based frying pan until cooked. In a bowl, mix together the fried bacon, croutons, chick-peas and spring onions. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the olive oil, walnuts, orange juice and sherry vinegar. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss the chick-pea mixture with the vinaigrette. Drain the marinated sardines. Stuff each sardine with the roasted vegetables. To serve, spoon the chick-pea salad onto a serving plate. Top with the stuffed sardines, garnish with mint leaves and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Simon Rimmer, Good Food Bites, Good Food Channel, UK-TV