ROUND SARDINELLA WITH GARLIC

4 servings:

• 500 g round sardinella, medium or small
• 8 garlic cloves
• 2 dried cayenne peppers
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Apple or cider vinegar
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Salt
• Ice (to clean the fish)

Directions:

1. Clean the round sardinella: gently remove its head, gut and scales. Immerse the fish in water with ice to allow it to bleed out. Drain the fish and dry it with a paper towel.
2. Pour plenty of oil into a pan with the two cayenne peppers.
3. Peel the garlic, halve it and remove the sprout inside the clove. Then, cut the halves into thin slices.
4. When the oil is heated, add the sliced garlic and sauté until slightly browned and crunchy (avoiding burning).
5. Strain the oil to separate it from the garlic and set both ingredients aside.
6. Clean and dry the pan. Place the fish in it, so they are really close to each other, and from the centre to the exterior part of the pan. The heads should be in the centre to receive more heat.
7. Salt and pour the aromatised oil on them (without the garlic).
8. Put the pan over high heat and when the fish start to fry, pour some vinegar.
9. Add the fried garlic and spread chopped parsley over the pan.
10. Cover the pan and turn off the heat so the fish can cook with residual heat.
11. If the round sardinellas are small, they will be ready in 2 – 3 minutes and will be very juicy.
12. If they are bigger, let them cook for a few more minutes before turning off the heat.
13. In both cases, uncover the pan to check when they are ready.
14. Serve the fish with sliced garlic on top and pour some of the oil aromatised with garlic, cayenne pepper, vinegar and fish juices.