Ingredients

• 250g/9oz Jersey Royals
• 4 sardines
• cleaned
• filleted and butterflied (ask your fishmonger to do this)
• 100g/3½oz jarred piquillo peppers
• drained and thinly sliced
• 1 bunch basil
• leaves thinly sliced
• 6 thin slices Parma ham
• 500g/1lb 2oz cockles
• cleaned and scrubbed
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 thyme sprig
• 100g/3½oz samphire
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 shallot
• finely chopped
• 1 bunch dill
• finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the Jersey Royals and cook for 10–15 minutes
• or until soft to the point of a knife.
• Meanwhile
• open up the sardines and lay the peppers and basil on top. Season with salt and pepper then fold the top fillet over. Wrap each pair of fillets in a slice of ham and hold together with a wooden cocktail stick.
• Pan-fry the sardines in a dry non-stick fry pan for 2–3 minutes on each side
• or until they are golden
• crisp and cooked through.
• Discard any cockles with broken shells and any that refuse to close when tapped. Put the cockles in a large
• lidded saucepan placed over a high heat with a splash of water. Add the garlic and thyme and steam until the cockles have opened. Discard any cockles that remain closed.
• Drain the potatoes and set aside to steam dry.
• Pick the cockle meat from the shells and put into a clean bowl
• discarding the shells. Strain the cooking liquid onto the cockles
• add the samphire
• vinegar
• shallot and dill and season. Mix well.
• Divide the sardines and potatoes between two plates
• pour over the samphire and cockles and serve.