grilled sardines, orange & chilli gastrique w/ mount zero olive oil

"Pair this delicious dish with a lemon and garlic aioli, or mix through a salad to make a more substantial side or light summer meal. The chilli gastrique is delicious on a number of things and will last in the fridge for up to a month." - Julianne Blum

Author

Julianne Blum, Julie Restaurant

Servings

4

Ingredients

• 12 sardines, whole and gutted
• 3 long red chillies
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 200g castor sugar
• 50ml white wine vinegar
• 160ml orange juice
• 40ml lemon juice
• 50ml Mount Zero Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive oil
• 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• Flaky sea salt

Directions

1. Coat the red chillis in olive oil, salt brown sugar and a good pinch of salt.
2. Roast in a 180-degree oven until the chillies are dark and caramelised (around 10 minutes). Cover in a bowl with cling film to soften.
3.  After 5 minutes, the chillies should have softened. Remove the stem and chop very finely, mixing in some olive oil to form a paste. You can also do this in a small food processor. 
4. In a heavy-bottomed pot, caramelise the sugar into a dark caramel over a low-medium flame. 
5. Reduce heat to low and add the orange and lemon juice. Be careful, it will spit! Reduce the syrup by a third.
6. Take the syrup off the stove and add the white wine vinegar, chilli paste and very finely chopped parsley. 
7. Heat a heavy-based grill skillet until it is very hot (or fire up the barbie!)
8. Cover the sardines in olive oil and salt, lay onto the pan or bbq and char on one side. Do not move them until a good crust has formed. 
9. Carefully flip the sardines over to cook the other side. This whole process should only take 3 to four minutes. 
10. Remove from the grill and douse the cooked sardines liberally in the gastrique.
11. Finish with a liberal lick of Mount Zero Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil and an extra sprinkle of salt.