At the beginning of October, Thomas Vetter represented us at Berlin Food Week, where he and my sister Anaïs held a workshop on "Cooking with Vintage Sardines." The recipe prepared for the event was so well received by visitors and participants that we'd like to present it again here.
It's a perfect fit for the season, taking the currently ubiquitous pumpkin and putting it in a new light in combination with sardine and coriander – a welcome change from the classic pumpkin soup...
Ingredients (for 4 people):
Tartar:
1 - 2 cans of Sardinettes piquantes from Les Mouettes d'Arvor
2 shallots
1 tbsp capers (e.g. the "Câpres nonpareiles" that we have in our store)
1 - 2 limes (peel and juice)
1 orange (zest)
fresh dill
1 - 2 spring onions
Pumpkin:
1 small or 1/2 Hokkaido pumpkin
1 - 2 tsp fennel seeds
1 - 2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp curry powder
some cinnamon powder
1 - 2 star anise
coarse sea salt
Espelette pepper
some sunflower oil
Pesto:
150g fresh coriander
100g flat-leaf parsley
some olive oil, e.g. from Alziari
some sunflower oil
Salt
Espelette pepper
powdered sugar
1. Drain the sardines from the can through a sieve, reserving the oil, and set aside. Roughly chop the fish with a knife.
Peel the shallots and cut them into small cubes, also chop the capers and mix both with the chopped sardines.
Stir in the reserved oil, finely chopped dill, and chopped spring onions. Season to taste with lime juice, lime and orange zest, and a little salt and pepper.
2. Cut open and gut the pumpkin, then cut into even-sized cubes. Briefly toast the spices (fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, curry, cinnamon, star anise) in a pot or pan. You can also crush the coarser spices in a mortar and pestle beforehand.
Add the pumpkin cubes, a little sunflower oil, salt, and pepper, and mix. Place everything on a baking sheet and bake at 200°C (convection oven) for about 10 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft but not falling apart.
3. Finely chop the herbs and blend them with a little olive and sunflower oil using a hand blender. Add a little more oil at a time until you reach a nice, oily consistency. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and a little powdered sugar.
4. Serve and enjoy, preferably with a glass of wine.
Our wine recommendation: A rosé always pairs well with a fish dish with spicy notes, especially when it has lovely fruity and floral notes. These provide a refreshing balance to spicy dishes.
