Sardines with Piri-piri and garlic butter

Serves 2 Prep Time: 15 mins Cooking Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

8 whole sardines
100g butter
4 cloves garlic
4 tbsp parsley
4 tsp piri-piri spice

to serve
Mixed salad leaves
Fresh bread

Method

In a sink of water, rub the sardines from tail to head to remove the scales.

Using a pair of scissors, cut the fish open from tail to mouth and then discard the innards.

Rinse the inside of the fish to remove any blood.

Warm the oven to 190°C.

Dice the butter into cubes and place in a food processor with the garlic and parsley, then blend until smooth.

Warm a heavy based frying pan over a moderate heat and add a little of the garlic butter.

Gently fry the sardines in the butter with the piri-piri spice, ensuring to cook both sides of the fish evenly.

Add the remaining garlic butter evenly over the fish then place the pan into the oven for 10 minutes.

To serve, pile a few salad leaves on one side of a bowl, then lay the sardines into the bowl, pouring over the garlic butter. Eat with the fresh bread.