Stuffed Baked Sardines

Grilled, baked and fried, sardines are eaten in all Mediterranean coastal ports. I have chosen to stuff these sardines to make a more robust dish. If you find that pomegranates are out of season, dried cranberries make an acceptable and appropriately tart substitute for the crimson pomegranate seeds.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 2 -3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  large onion, finely diced
• 2  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1⁄2 cup  finely chopped walnuts
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1⁄4 cup pomegranate seeds (or substitute dried cranberries)
•  sea salt
•  fresh ground black pepper

• for the sardines

• 1  kg  about 16 whole  fresh sardine, scaled and cleaned leaving heads intact
•  olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup pomegranate seeds (or substitute dried cranberries)
• 1⁄4 cup flat leaf parsley

Directions

1. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add oil, onion and garlic and cook for 10 minutes or until softened and lightly browned. Stir in the walnuts and cook for 2 minutes more. Add the remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat to a bowl to cool.
2. For the sardines.
3. Preheat oven to 200°C.Wash sardines inside and out and pat dry on paper towels. Fill sardines with the stuffing and place in a lightly oiled oven pan. Drizzle with a little oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown then remove to a platter and serve scattered with garnish ingredients. Serves 8.