Grilled sardines, labneh, and cime di rapa

Ingredients

• 4 pieces whole fresh sardines
• 200 g fresh labneh (or homemade labneh)
• 1 bunch cime di rapa (rapini)
• 2 cloves garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 piece lemon
• 1 piece fresh red chili
• to taste fine salt
• to taste ground black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the labneh if making it from scratch (see prepared component) or take it out of the refrigerator 15 minutes beforehand so it loses some of its chill.
2. Clean the sardines: scale them, gut them, remove the heads if desired, rinse with cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly score the sides in a diamond pattern.
3. Wash the cime di rapa and trim the hard stem ends. Blanch the greens in a large pot of boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then plunge them into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
4. Peel and slice the garlic cloves. Cut the red chili into thin rings (remove the seeds for less heat).
5. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili, and sauté for 30 seconds without letting them burn.
6. Add the blanched cime di rapa to the skillet, salt lightly, add pepper, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until tender and lightly browned. Keep warm.
7. Salt and pepper the sardines on both sides. Squeeze half a lemon and drizzle the juice over the sardines.
8. In the same skillet (or another one), heat the remaining olive oil over high heat. Grill the sardines for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the skin is crispy and the flesh is opaque. Do not overcook.
9. To serve: spread the labneh on serving plates to form a bed. Arrange the grilled sardines on top. Place the sautéed cime di rapa around them. Drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish with a few fresh chili rings (optional). Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

537.7 kcal

Protein

21.35 g

Carbohydrate

12.3 g

Fat

45.94 g

Fibre

3.5 g

Calcium

41.46 mg

Iron

1.2 mg

Magnesium

26.86 mg