Stuffed sardine fillets à la Nicoise

This recipe is inspired by a lunch that we recently had in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. The sardine fillets were stuffed with a typical Niçoise vegetable mix: mangold or spinach, shallots, garlic, black olives, tomatoes, and basil. All vegetables were chopped into small pieces and sautéed in olive oil before stuffing. The sardine fillets were then roasted in the oven.

They were served with panisses, chickpea flour cakes, and some extra vegetable mix as a side.

The dish was so tasty and healthy that I decided to try it at home. The following recipe is my twist of that terrace lunch.

2 servings

6- 8 sardine fillets

1 tbsp. dried bread crumbs

Olive oil

2 handfuls of baby spinach, chopped

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 large or 2 small tomatoes, chopped

8 black olives, pitted and chopped

About 8 basil leaves, chopped

2 large store- bought panisses

2 tbsp. almond flakes

Wash the spinach and tomato and chop them into small pieces. Peel and chop the shallot and clove of garlic. Warm 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat and sauté the vegetables about 5- 10 minutes turning occasionally. Add the chopped olives. 

Preheat the oven to 210° C roast. Place the panisses in a large oven- proof dish and sprinkle with the almond flakes and some olive oil. Start roasting the chick-pea cakes; they need about 5-10 minutes longer than the sardine fillets.

Clean and dry the sardine fillets. Fill them wit the vegetable mixture and place them in the same oven- proof dish with the panisses. Sprinkle the sardine fillets with the breadcrumbs and some olive oil, place the dish back to the oven and roast for about 10- 12 minutes. Cover the remaining vegetable mixture and keep warm.

When the sardines are cooked and the almond flakes on the panisses are golden, remove the dish from the oven and divide on the plates. Divide the extra vegetable mixture on the plates and decorate with basil.