Grilled Sardines with Tunisian Chermoula

Ingredients

Contains fish. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Method

1. 1

   Rinse the gutted sardines under cold water, remove any remaining scales with the back of a knife, and pat dry inside and out with paper towels.

   10 min
2. 2

   Make the chermoula: finely chop the cilantro and parsley, then place them in a medium bowl with the minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, paprika, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper; stir to combine.

   5 min
3. 3

   Taste the chermoula and adjust seasoning—add up to 1/2 teaspoon more salt if needed—then reserve about 3 tablespoons of the sauce in a small bowl for finishing and serving.

4. 4

   Rub the remaining chermoula evenly over each sardine, rubbing some inside the cavity as well; place the coated fish on a tray, cover and let them marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours).

   30 min
5. 5

   While the sardines marinate, preheat your grill (charcoal or gas) to medium-high heat (about 425–450°F / 220–230°C) and clean the grate well.

   10 min
6. 6

   Oil the grill grates: dip a wad of paper towel in neutral oil, hold with tongs, and wipe the hot grates once so the fish won't stick.

7. 7

   If you have metal skewers or a fish basket, thread two thin metal skewers through each fish lengthwise (one near head, one near tail) to keep them flat on the grate; alternatively leave whole and use a fish basket or spatula for turning.

   5 min
8. 8

   Grill the sardines over direct heat: place them on the grate and cook undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until the skin chars and releases, then flip and grill 3–4 minutes on the second side until just cooked through (total 6–8 minutes).

   8 min
9. 9

   During the last minute of cooking, brush the sardines with some of the reserved chermoula so it warms and glazes the fish.

   1 min
10. 10

    Transfer the sardines to a platter, let rest 3–5 minutes, spoon the remaining reserved chermoula over them, scatter the optional sliced red onion if using, and serve with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

    5 min