Flame grilled sardines, pinoli, feta and white raisins

Name: Flame grilled sardines, pinoli, feta and white raisins
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 50 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 1 Lemon, zest of; 2 Garlic cloves, sliced; 2 Sardines, filleted (Main); 100 g Raisins, white variety; 100 ml Verjuice; 50 g Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, thinly sliced; 50 g Fresh basil, thinly sliced; 2 Garlic cloves, finely minced; 1 Lemon, zest of; 100 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 1 Lemon, juice; 2 slices Sourdough bread; 100 g Feta, crumbled or finely diced, marinated in 50ml of extra virgin olive oil; 20 g Pine nuts, toasted, we use Pinoli; 2 leaves Fresh basil, thinly sliced; 20 g Fresh chives

for 2 people

Bite

The sardines are marinated then grilled, the raisins plumped in verjuice. Gremolata is made and the delicious combo is served on toasted sourdough with feta, chives, parsley and local pinoli pine nuts.

Baduzzi may be famous for its meatballs but it offers so much more besides. Created by executive chef Ben Bayly, this tapa is one of the most popular dishes on the menu and could easily win over even dedicated sardine haters. The Wynyard Quarter restaurant is run by the team behind The Grove and they describe their food style as “Greater Roman Empire”. Plenty of scope, then, for lots of good eating.

This recipe is one of the 12 finalists of Bite's Estrella Damm Tapas Competition in 2014. Click here to see all of the finalists.

Baduzzi, 10-26 Jellicoe Street, Wynyard Quarter, Auckland

Ingredients

50 ml	Extra virgin olive oil
1	Lemon, zest of
2	Garlic cloves, sliced
2	Sardines, filleted (Main)
100 g	Raisins, white variety
100 ml	Verjuice

Gremolata

50 g	Flat leaf (Italian) parsley, thinly sliced
50 g	Fresh basil, thinly sliced
2	Garlic cloves, finely minced
1	Lemon, zest of
100 ml	Extra virgin olive oil

To serve

1	Lemon, juice
2 slices	Sourdough bread
100 g	Feta, crumbled or finely diced, marinated in 50ml of extra virgin olive oil
20 g	Pine nuts, toasted, we use Pinoli
2 leaves	Fresh basil, thinly sliced
20 g	Fresh chives

Directions

Combine olive oil, lemon zest, thyme and sliced garlic and use to marinade sardine fillets overnight, or for a minimum of 2 hours.
Warm the raisins in verjuice. Bring up to a simmer in a saucepan on moderate heat until the raisins absorb all the liquid. About 5 minutes. Leave to cool.
Make the gremolata. Combine parsley and basil. Add garlic and lemon zest. Stir in the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Cook the sardines (skin side only) over a hot grill for 15-20 seconds. When ready, squeeze over a little lemon juice.
To assemble, toast the bread until crispy, then top with a generous spoonful of gremolata. Place sardines on toast, top with feta, pine nuts and the raisins. Garnish with chives and parsley. Good to go!