Grilled Sardines with Redcurrant Salad

The simplicity of fresh, grilled sardines is perfectly complemented with a salad with tangy feta cheese and juicy redcurrants. Give it a try!
- 6 fresh sardines (prepared and cleaned)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 1 small red chilli (deseeded and shredded)
- ½ lemon (juice of)
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
For Redcurrant salad
- Mixed salad leaves
- ¼ small red onion (chopped)
- ¼ cucumber (diced)
- 4 cherry tomatoes (halved)
- 85g redcurrants
- 85g reduced-fat feta cheese (diced)
- 1 tsp redcurrant jelly
- 2 tbsp oil-free vinaigrette dressing
- Place the sardines in a shallow dish with the garlic, chilli and lemon juice.
- Season with some salt and pepper and coat the sardines with the chilli mixture.
- Cover with clingfilm and chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put the salad leaves, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, redcurrants and feta cheese in a bowl.
Blend the redcurrant jelly with the dressing.
- Lift the sardines out of the chilli marinade and cook under a preheated hot grill or over hot coals on a barbecue for about 3-4 minutes each side, until cooked through with opaque flesh and crisp skin.
- Toss the prepared redcurrant salad in the dressing and serve immediately with the hot sardines.
TOP TIP: You can cook other oily fish, such as mackerel or herring, in the same way. Just marinate and chill as outlined above and then cook under a grill, ridged grill pan or on a barbecue. Remember that larger fish will take longer to cook – they are ready to eat when the flesh is opaque and flakes easily.