Sardinhas Assadas

The story

Sardinhas Assadas is a traditional Portuguese main presented with exact metric quantities, practical preparation detail, controlled temperatures, visual doneness cues and a method suitable for confident home cooking.

Ingredients

• Main ingredients
• 12 piece whole sardinesscaled and gutted
• 25 g coarse sea salt
• 2 piece lemonwedges
• 30 ml olive oil
• 300 g roasted peppersstrips

Method

1. Step 1

   Pat sardines completely dry. Salt generously 20 minutes before cooking, then brush off excess surface salt.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

2. Step 2

   Heat a charcoal grill or ridged griddle until very hot, around 230–250°C at the grate. Oil the bars lightly.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

3. Step 3

   Grill sardines for 3–4 minutes on the first side without moving until the skin releases naturally.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

4. Step 4

   Turn once and grill 2–3 minutes more until opaque at the backbone but still moist.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

5. Step 5

   Serve immediately with lemon, olive oil and roasted peppers.

   Look for: The food should match the colour, texture and doneness cues described in the instruction. Tip: Prepare every cut to the stated size so the ingredients cook evenly. Avoid: Do not rush the heat or skip the stated resting, cooling or preparation stage.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from a representative ingredient basket; verify against exact brands and edible yields before publication.