baked sardines with spinach

sardine al cartoccio su spinaci

TOTAL TIME: 25 minutes

MAKES: 4 servings

Cooking sardines in foil packets with olive oil and lemon lets you collect the flavorful liquid that results. Served over a bed of spinach tossed with mustard and olive oil, and then drizzled with the cooking liquid, this is pure, simple cooking at its best.

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Ingredients

12 butterflied fresh sardines (about 2 to 3 ounces each), heads discarded
Coarse or fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups fresh soybean sprouts
2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse-grain mustard
4 1/2 ounces baby spinach (4 packed cups)
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 450º. Line a baking pan with foil.

Arrange fish on prepared baking pan, skin-side up; season with salt. Scatter sprouts on top. Drizzle with 4 teaspoons oil and lemon juice. Place a second sheet of foil on top. Tightly seal edges of foil to make a packet. Bake until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together remaining 2 tablespoons oil and mustard. Add spinach and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper.

Divide spinach among 4 serving plates. Top with fish and sprouts. Drizzle with liquid from fish. Serve warm.

July 2009