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into paper-thin half moons

(about ¼ cup)

1 (4-ounce) tin sardines, canned

in extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 cups bread cubes

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive

oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup cooked white beans

(canned is OK)

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian

parsley

4 eggs

Butter, for frying the eggs

¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano

curls (made using a vegetable

peeler)

This recipe makes use of humble ingredients that can be picked up, last I checked, at a gas station. There is really nothing gourmet about them—in fact, for not much money, a tin of sardines, a can of beans, an egg, and some bread make for an extremely simple and healthful meal. I have prepared this recipe for sworn “sardine-haters,” and well, expect to hate no more.

SERVES 4

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.

Pour the red wine vinegar over the onions. Let them pickle at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (1 hour is better), stirring occasionally. When the onions are done, drain them, squeezing out any liquid and reserving it for other uses.

Remove the sardines from the tin, discarding the oil, and place them in a bowl. Pour the sherry vinegar over the sardines and let them hang out for a bit while you make the croutons.

In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and then season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the croutons on a baking sheet and bake them in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are crisp and lightly browned. Set aside.

Drain the sardines and pour the vinegar into a big bowl with the croutons, beans, and parsley, reserving the sardines. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the salad on a platter.

Fry the eggs in a hot skillet with a little bit of butter, but leave the yolks runny. Top the salad with the pickled red onions, reserved sardines, fried eggs, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

PAIRING: A verdelho, such as Rafael Palacios Louro Do Bolo, 2007, Galicia, Spain, or a vinho verde.

skillet sardines with fennel, currant, and pine nut salad

For the sardines:

½ pound whole fresh sardines

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, cut

into ribbons (reserve 1 table-

spoon for the salad)

Juice of 1 medium lemon

(about 3 tablespoons)

Toothpicks, for securing the

sardines

For the fennel, currant, and pine nut salad:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin

olive oil, plus additional for

drizzling

½ cup thinly sliced shallots

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons toasted pine

nuts

½ fennel bulb, shaved thin,

fronds reserved for garnish

1 tablespoon currants

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon high-heat

vegetable oil

Crusty artisan bread, for

serving

There is a special place in my heart for this recipe. It started with an idea: could I transport an eater to the Mediterranean with just a bite? One bite. I knew I needed a very fresh fish, a fish not normally cooked here in the United States, an underdog fish that deserved its day in the sun. I took the humble sardine and started with a list of ingredients, crossing them off one by one until, hopefully, I distilled—in one bite—a sidewalk café baked in the sun and a Mediterranean breeze that makes you tuck your hair behind your ear and carries with it the faintest hint of the ocean.

SERVES 4

To prepare the sardines, rinse them under cold running water and, with your fingernail, scrape off any scales. Starting with one sardine, gently bend the head back and remove it. Place the sardine on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut a slit along the belly line, starting at the top and cutting all the way to the tail (without piercing the back).56 Rinse the cavity under running water to remove the innards. Place the sardine back on the board, with the open cavity facing you, and carefully cut into it, splitting it open like a book, being careful not to cut through to the other side. Once you have opened the sardine, carefully—with your fingers—pry the spine and rib bones out, leaving as much