Fancy sardines on toast

Tinned sardines get a Nornie Bero-style glow-up with the addition of pickled onion and karkalla, a pinch of ground pepperberry and some sunrise limes for freshness. Serve on freshly toasted sourdough for the ultimate brunch or breakfast to share with friends!

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

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Ingredients

• 4 thick slices sourdough bread
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 8 tinned sardine fillets
• Pickled onion and karkalla, to serve (see Note)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

For the tomato salad

• 1 large heirloom tomato, roughly chopped
• 2 whole sunrise limes, finely chopped
• Sea salt flakes and ground pepperberry
• Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the pickled onion and karkalla

• 1 cup white vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• ½ tsp coriander seed
• ½ tsp whole pepperberry
• 2 cinnamon myrtle leaves
• ½ cup karkalla sprigs
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Make the pickle at least 12 hours in advance.

Instructions

1. For the pickled onion and karkalla: In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, water, sugar, salt, coriander, pepperberry cinnamon leaves, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. Place the karkalla, onion and garlic in a sterilised glass jar. Let the pickling liquid cool for 3 minutes, then pour into the jar. Allow to pickle overnight before using. This will keep for 2 months in the fridge.
2. Generously drizzle the sourdough with olive oil, then place into a large, heavy-based frying pan. Toast, turning occasionally until golden brown and crisp. Remove to serving plates and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, sunrise limes, a pinch of sea salt flakes and ground pepperberry, a drizzle of olive oil and toss lightly to combine. To serve, divide the sardines between the toasted sourdough, then spoon over the tomato salad. Top with pickled onion and karkalla and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.