Ingredients

• 12 sardines
• cleaned and gutted
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 200g/8oz Jersey Royal potatoes
• scrubbed and parboiled
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 100ml/3½fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• 2 tomatoes
• skins and seeds removed
• finely chopped
• 1 shallot
• finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh dill
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 110g/4oz mixed salad leaves
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

• Preheat the grill to high.
• For the sardines
• remove the head from the sardines
• then cut open along the belly from the head end to the tail and open out
• flesh-side down. Press down along the body with the heel of your hand
• then turn the fish over and lift out the bones. Make a slit next to the gills and tuck the tail into the slit
• forming a circle.
• Place the sardines onto a grill tray and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place under the grill for 3-4 minutes
• or until completely cooked through.
• Meanwhile
• for the pan-fried Jersey Royals
• heat a frying pan until hot and add the potatoes and olive oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp
• then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the sauce vierge
• place the extra virgin olive oil into a pan and whisk in the lemon juice. Add the tomatoes
• shallot and garlic and place on the heat to just warm through. Remove from the heat
• add the herbs and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• For the salad
• place the salad leaves into a bowl
• drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and the olive oil and stir.
• To serve
• divide the pan-fried potatoes among four plates and top each with three grilled sardines. Spoon over the warm sauce vierge and place the dressed salad leaves alongside.