Baked Sardines with Fennel and Breadcrumbs

Am always on the hunt for fresh sardines. Every couple of days for the past few months, I've asked my local fish guy "any sardines today?" Predictably, he replies, albeit in a jovial tone, "not today, but we'll be getting some in." After a while I gave up and stopped asking. But, several months later, out of the blue, there they were, fresh Pacific sardines. I was shocked. Picked up a pound for dinner (a steal at $5.99 per pound -- about six sardines).

Sardines. If you couldn't tell from the name of my blog, I love these oily little fish -- plentiful, sustainable, good for your health, and quite tasty. Am constantly thinking about new ways to prepare my favorite little friends. This version is based on a Sicilian classic, pasta con le sarde (pasta with Sardines), prepared with wild fennel that grows all over the island. I took those same flavors, minus the pasta, and baked the sardines in the oven; the sardines are buried under a layer of homemade breadcrumbs mixed with garlic, fennel fronds, ground fennel seeds, and lemon zest. This dish incorporates fennel in three different forms: fennel bulb thinly sliced, fennel fronds (the spiky little leaves), and dried ground fennel seeds, which collectively add a subtle anise-licorice flavor. Depending on where you live, you can forage for wild fennel (in the spring), which has a more pronounced anise flavor (unfortunately, have never seen any in my neck of the woods). 

Sardines are quite photogenic, their little eyes poking out from under the breadcrumbs and fennel fronds.

One thing I'm not particularly fond of are tiny sardine bones. But no worries, you can debone the fish prior to baking (or have your fishmonger do so). It's really quite easy (cleaned and deboned these myself). Once the sardines have been cleaned and gutted, use a pair of kitchen shears to snip the spine closest to the tail.  Next, using a small knife, carefully run the knife under the spine to remove it in one piece.  

Baked Sardines with Fennel and Breadcrumbs

1 to 1 1/4 pounds fresh whole sardines (about 6-8), scaled, gutted, and deboned

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing/drizzling
2/3 cup homemade bread crumbs  (recipe below)
3/4 cup fresh fennel fronds
1 small-medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced (preferably with a mandoline)
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
2 garlic cloves, minced
Zest of 1 lemon
Lemon wedges, for serving
Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, garlic, fennel fronds, ground fennel seeds, lemon zest, and couple grinds fresh black pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the mixture. Stir to combine.
 
Generously brush a baking dish (used a 14-inch oval) with olive oil. Season the sardine cavities with salt. Place the sardines in the baking dish. Evenly distribute the breadcrumb mixture over the sardines. Place the sliced fennel on top. Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the fish are cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Drizzle with good quality olive oil. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy.

Homemade Whole-Wheat Breadcrumbs

3-4 slices of bread (whole wheat, multigrain)--enough to produce 2 cups bread crumbs when roughly chopped in the food processor
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh herbs (such as rosemary, oregano, thyme)

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with olive oil, fresh herbs, salt, and pepper. Place the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and toast for about
15 minutes until golden brown (rotate halfway through). Allow the breadcrumbs to cool. Place the breadcrumbs in the food processor and pulse a few times until the breadcrumbs are finely processed. Store in an airtight container.

 I love to prepare a big batch of breadcrumbs and keep them in an airtight container in the fridge, so I always have some on hand.

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