Grilled Mediterranean Sardines with Lemon and Olive Persillade

Chef Danny Wells, chef of BlackSalt's recipe.

Serves four as an appetizer or two as an entree.

8 fresh sardines, scaled and gutted (available at BlackSalt, among other places)
2 lemons, sliced in quarter-inch rounds
6 ounces extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
Cracked black pepper to taste
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 filets cured anchovy filets, minced to a paste
6 ounces, approximately, Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced thinly
1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped fine

Start your grill early, as it needs it to be nice and hot when cooking the sardines. (Or use a broiler turned up very high.)

Place the sardines and lemon slices in a large dish and drizzle two ounces of the olive oil over them, then season both with salt and pepper.

In a small mixing bowl combine the minced garlic, anchovies, sliced olives, parsley and the remaining olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This sauce can be made in advance and will keep in the refrigerator for a week. (If you are not serving the persillade at once, store it in the refrigerator, but bring it out and up to room temperature before serving.)

When you are ready to serve, place the seasoned sardines on a hot area of the grill. Place the lemon slices on the grill with the sardines. Cook the sardines and the lemons for two minutes on each side.

Place the sardines on a serving dish with the grilled lemon slices. Spoon the olive persillade on top of the sardines and lemons and serve.

BlackSalt Fish Market & Restaurant (202-342-9101: blacksaltrestaurant.com) is located at 4883 MacArthur Blvd. NW. Main courses cost $26 to $36.

This recipe first appeared in the Northwest, Dupont, Foggy Bottom and Georgetown Current Newspapers.

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