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Spain · Sardines

Málaga Beach Sardine Skewers

Espetos de Sardinas

On the beaches of Málaga, the espetero spears six or seven sardines on a cane and plants them in the sand beside a wood fire inside an old fishing boat. You can do almost the same on a backyard grill.

  • Prep 15 min + 15 min salting
  • Cook 10 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy
Photo: Daniel Sancho from Málaga, Spain · CC BY 2.0
Served with: Cordoba Cold Tomato Cream ↓En Español

Ingredients

Tap each item as you gather it.

For the espetos

To serve

Method

Step by step, the way it is done on the island.

  1. Salt the fish. Rinse the sardines gently and pat dry. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt and let them sit 15 minutes.
  2. Skewer them. Push a skewer through each sardine just under the backbone, below the middle of the body, so 6 sardines hang side by side on each skewer like a comb, all facing the same way.
  3. Get the fire ready. Heat a charcoal or wood fire until the flames die down to very hot embers. If you can, prop the skewers at an angle beside the fire instead of right over it, the way the espeteros do.
  4. Cook. Cook the sardines 3–4 minutes on the belly side, then turn and cook 2–3 minutes on the back, until the skin is blistered and crisp and the meat is opaque at the bone. On a grill, keep them over medium-hot coals.
  5. Serve. Serve right off the skewer with lemon, bread and cold salmorejo on the side.

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Andalusia, Spain

Cordoba Cold Tomato Cream

Salmorejo Cordobés

A thick, chilled cream of ripe tomato, bread, garlic and olive oil from Córdoba. Served in small bowls, it is a refreshing start next to Andalusian fried fish.

  • Prep 15 min + 1 h chilling
  • Cook 0 min
  • Serves 4
  • Level Easy

You need

  • 2 lb (900 g) very ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
  • 5 oz (150 g) day-old crusty white bread, crusts removed
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar (optional)
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (to garnish)
  • 2 oz (60 g) serrano ham, diced (to garnish)

How to make it

  1. Blend the tomatoes. Blend the tomatoes until completely smooth and strain them through a sieve to remove skins and seeds.
  2. Soak the bread. Tear the bread into the tomato purée and let it soak 10 minutes.
  3. Emulsify. Blend the tomato and bread with the garlic, salt and vinegar, then pour in the olive oil slowly with the blender running until thick, pale and creamy.
  4. Chill and serve. Chill at least 1 hour. Serve cold, topped with chopped egg, ham and a drizzle of olive oil.

Photo: P.Lechien · CC0

More ways to cook Sardines

Same fish, a different corner of the sea.

Lisbon, PortugalLisbon Charcoal-Grilled Sardines
Palermo, Sicily, ItalyPalermo Pasta with Sardines and Fennel
Rio de Janeiro, BrazilRio Bar-Style Fried Sardines