Created by John Gionleka, chef-owner of London's established Balkan restaurant Peckham Bazaar, this Cured Sardines with Esme Salad recipe pairs delicately cured sardines with smoky charred vegetables, fresh herbs and pomegranate molasses. The sardines are preserved in Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil, then lightly blowtorched at the last moment, giving the skin a delicious, charred finish while keeping the fish tender. Served over John's colourful Esme salad, it's a vibrant Mediterranean-inspired sardine recipe that makes a brilliant starter or light lunch.
Why We Love John Gionleka's Cured Sardines
The short 30-minute cure gives the sardines plenty of flavour without overpowering the delicate fish, with ginger, lemon peel and thyme bringing freshness and fragrance. The smoky Esme salad balances the sardines' richness with charred aubergine, red pepper, courgette, red onion, and tomatoes, while pomegranate molasses adds a sweet-sharp finish. Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil is central to the dish, used both to preserve the cured sardines and dress the Esme salad.
How to Make Cured Sardines with Esme Salad
Start by filleting the sardines and preparing them for curing.
Mix the fine salt, brown sugar, finely grated ginger, lemon peel, fresh thyme and crushed black pepper. Cover the sardine fillets evenly with the cure mixture and leave to cure for 30 minutes only.
Once cured, rinse the sardines gently under cold water and pat them completely dry. Place the fillets in a clean container and cover completely with 250–350ml Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil. Keep refrigerated until needed.
To make the Esme salad, char the aubergine, red pepper, courgette, red onion and tomatoes until nicely charred. Allow the vegetables to cool, then chop them finely.
Mix the charred vegetables with the garlic, flat-leaf parsley, chives, pomegranate molasses, vinegar, 30ml Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil, salt and black pepper until well combined.
Just before serving, remove the sardines from the preserving olive oil and allow the excess oil to drain. Place the fillets skin-side up and lightly blowtorch the skin until it is slightly blistered and charred. If you don’t have a blowtorch, place them briefly under a very hot grill, keeping a close eye on them.
Spoon 2–3 tablespoons of Esme salad onto each plate and arrange 2–3 blowtorched sardine fillets on top or alongside. Finish with toasted breadcrumbs, chopped chives and a light drizzle of Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil.
Cured Sardines with Esme Salad Recipe Info
Details
Dish: Starter or light lunch
Diet: Pescatarian
Serves: Approximately 6
Prep: Approximately 25 minutes, plus 30 minutes curing
Cook: Approximately 1–2 minutes
Total: Approximately 55–60 minutes
Ingredients
For the cured sardines:
- 1kg sardines
- 70g fine salt
- 50g brown sugar
- 25g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- Peel from 2 lemons
- 8–10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tsp crushed black pepper
- 250–350ml Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil, for preserving
For the Esme salad:
- 1 medium aubergine
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 small courgette
- ½ medium red onion
- 2 medium tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- 15g flat-leaf parsley
- 5–7g chives
- 1½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 30ml Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
To finish:
- Toasted breadcrumbs, as required
- Chopped chives, as required
- Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Nutrition
Estimated per serving, based on 6 servings
Calories: approximately 430 kcal
Protein: approximately 34g
Carbohydrates: approximately 15g
Dietary Fibre: approximately 4g
Total Sugars: approximately 8g
Fat: approximately 27g
Saturated Fat: approximately 5g
Sodium: approximately 750mg
Vitamin C: approximately 40% DV
Iron: approximately 20% DV
Calcium: approximately 30% DV
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the size of the sardines and the amount of preserving olive oil, Esme salad, breadcrumbs and finishing oil consumed.
A Little More About This Sardine and Esme Salad Recipe
Ingredient Guide
Fresh sardines have a rich, distinctive flavour that works particularly well with citrus, herbs and extra virgin olive oil. John's quick cure combines salt and brown sugar with fresh ginger, lemon peel, thyme and black pepper, while preserving the fish in Little Olive Oil Kalinjot Pure extra virgin olive oil keeps it coated until service. Esme salad brings together finely chopped charred aubergine, pepper, courgette, onion and tomato with fresh herbs and pomegranate molasses, creating a smoky, sweet-sharp accompaniment to the rich fish.
Prep Tips
Keep the sardines refrigerated throughout preparation and follow John's 30-minute curing time carefully rather than leaving the fish in the cure for longer. After rinsing, pat the fillets completely dry before covering them with the extra virgin olive oil. The Esme salad can be prepared ahead, but leave the final blowtorching until just before serving so the sardine skin blisters and chars while the fish stays moist.
Ingredient Swaps
If fresh sardines are unavailable, another small oily fish such as fresh mackerel could work with similar flavours, although the curing time and preparation may need adjusting depending on the size of the fillets. If you don't have pomegranate molasses, a small amount of reduced balsamic vinegar can provide a different but similarly sweet-sharp note in the Esme salad.
Serving Suggestions
Serve John's Cured Sardines with Esme Salad as a Mediterranean-inspired starter or light lunch, with crusty bread or warm flatbread alongside to scoop up the smoky vegetables and extra virgin olive oil. It also works beautifully as part of a larger sharing table with fresh salads, grilled vegetables and other small plates.
