Moroccan Stuffed Sardines with Chermoula
Local name: سردين محشي بالشرمولة
In short: Butterflied sardines sandwiched with a garlicky chermoula of herbs, cumin and paprika, dusted in flour and pan-fried until crisp. It takes about 55 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 450 kcal
Sardines are the great fish of Morocco's Atlantic coast, caught in huge numbers around Safi, Essaouira and Agadir. This stuffed version is a favorite home dish. Each fish is opened, boned and spread with chermoula, then closed like a little sandwich, floured and fried. The coating crisps while the inside stays moist and fragrant with cilantro and cumin. Serve them hot with lemon and a tomato salad.
Instructions
- Mix all the chermoula ingredients in a bowl. Cut the heads off the sardines, slit each belly open and open the fish out flat like a book.
- Pull out the backbone, snipping it at the tail, then rinse the fish and pat dry. You will have 16 butterflied sardines.
- Spread about 1 tsp of chermoula on the flesh of one open sardine. Press a second sardine, flesh side down, on top to make a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining fish.
- Season the flour with a pinch of salt. Dip each sandwich in the flour, pat off the excess and keep them in a single layer on a tray.
- Heat about 1 cm (1/2 in) of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until a pinch of flour sizzles at once.
- Fry the sardines in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and crisp and the fish is cooked through (63°C / 145°F). Drain on paper towels.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges and any leftover chermoula.
Tips
- Ask your fishmonger to butterfly and bone the sardines to save time. Smaller fish are easier to sandwich and cook more evenly.
- To bake instead of frying, place the sandwiches in an oiled dish, drizzle with oil and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15 minutes.
Questions and answers
Can I use frozen sardines?
Yes. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, then pat them very dry before opening and stuffing, so the flour coating sticks and crisps.
How do I stop the sardines falling apart?
Press the two halves firmly together, coat them in flour and lower them gently into hot oil. Turn them only once, with a spatula, after a crust has formed.
What do you serve with fried sardines?
Lemon wedges, a tomato and onion salad and bread. A little extra chermoula on the side makes a fresh, herby sauce.
How long does it take to make Moroccan Stuffed Sardines with Chermoula?
About 55 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Moroccan Stuffed Sardines with Chermoula?
About 450 kcal per serving, with 31 g of protein, 14 g of carbohydrates and 30 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 450 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 31 g |
| Carbohydrates | 14 g |
| Fat | 30 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Sodium | 420 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
