Sardine and Lemon Sandwich with Ramp Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
A few months ago, my mother went to one of her favourite spots in France, the Belle-Île-en Mer, a picturesque island off the coast of Brittany. It wasn't her first visit, she's been to this tiny rock in the Atlantic Ocean countless times, and whenever I talk to her while she's there, she sounds like she just walked out of a spa. This island must be magic and I've wanted to discover it for myself for ages. I've tasted it though, at least some of it's produce. My mama knows my weak spot for all the culinary delights from this country, solid and liquid, so she gladly treats her ever hungry daughter to her new and old discoveries whenever she comes back. Last time she gave me a few beautiful tins of preserved sardines, the design is a bit old-fashioned, I love that, although it's just a fish tin, it's a pleasure to see it in the pantry. Once she gave me a large can of tinned fish soup from the same island, I liked it so much that it became my container for the kitchen brush and sponge!
The first time I tasted the preserved sardines refined with thin slices of lemon, it must have been early last winter, I got absolutely hooked on this oily treat. I've never been a big fan of preserved fish until that life changing moment, literarily, as since that day, I always eat my weekly Sunday pizza with these sardines, week after week. But today I thought they deserve a little variation. I had to change to another brand as our stock has been used up, it's not as good but still delicious, and I decided that the fish would make a scrumptious appearance on a juicy sandwich with ramp pesto and preserved lemons. It's that time of year again, I can't leave the grocery store without a bunch of ramp, due to their short season but mainly because we're almost addicted to it. So, another ramp pesto, another tin of sardines and a new sandwich, the kind you would eat at the sea, wrapped in paper, your fingers dripping of oil, and the wonderful taste of garlicky green, sour lemon and rich sardines in your mouth, fantastic!
This sandwich has been featured by Food52!
Sardine and Lemon Sandwich with Ramp Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes
For 2 sandwiches you need
rustic white buns, cut in half, 2
quality preserved sardines in olive oil, boned and cut into fillets, 3 fish (about 70g / 2 1/2oz)
preserved lemon, cut into thin slices, 1/8 (alternatively, you could use the roasted lemon peel from this recipe)
cherry tomatoes, quartered, 2
rucola, a small handful
For the pesto (this will be a little more than you'll need but you can eat the pesto with pasta or as a spread on toasted dark bread)
bunch of ramp, the stalks cut off, 1 (around 45g / 1 1/2oz)
Parmesan 25g / 1oz
olive oil 55ml /2fl oz
salt 1/4 teaspoon
Mix the ingredients for the pesto in a blender until smooth and season to taste.
Brush the bottom half of the buns with a little oil from the fish tin (just if it's quality olive oil), cover with rucola and lay 3 single fillets of the sardines on top. Garnish with the tomatoes and sprinkle with pesto and lemon slices.
