Grilled Sardines with Roasted Grape, Fennel, Seaweed, Celery Root Salad, Seville Orange Vinaigrette & Fennel Pollen Gremolata
Thomas J. Story
This dish beautifully marries the robust flavor of grilled sardines with a vibrant salad featuring roasted grapes, fennel, celery root, and seaweed. The Seville orange vinaigrette adds a zesty brightness, while the fennel pollen gremolata provides an aromatic finish.\
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “This Oyster Farm Should Be on Your California Bucket List.”
How to Make It
1
Roast Grapes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Put grapes in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan or sauté pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 7 to 10 minutes until the grapes soften, release some juice, and are lightly caramelized.
2
Make Seville Orange-Grape Dressing: Combine orange juice, juice from the roasted grapes, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, and additional vinegar to taste. Set aside.
3
Make Gremolata: Combine fennel pollen, Microplaned garlic, orange zest, Aleppo chiles, chopped parsley, and fennel tops with ¼ cup olive oil. Season with sea salt. Set aside.
4
Season sardine fillets with salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil. Grill skin-side down over medium heat until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. By the time the skin gets a little crispy and rendered, they should be cooked through. No need to flip over. Put sardines in a single layer, skin-side up, on a serving platter, and drizzle with half of the gremolata.
5
Combine celery, fennel, celery root, roasted grapes, and arugula or seaweed in a bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and scatter over the sardine fillets. Top with remaining gremolata and flaky sea salt, and serve.
Ingredients
1 cup seedless grapes (black or red)
¼ cup + 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tbsp red wine vinegar, more to taste
1 Seville orange, divided into 1 tsp Microplaned or finely chopped zest and 2 tbsp juice
1 tsp fennel pollen
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or Microplaned
½ tsp Aleppo chile flakes
1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 tbsp chopped fennel top
8 sardines, filleted
2 stalks celery, thinly-sliced (about ½ cup)
1 small fennel bulb, shaved (about 1 cup)—reserve green tops
1 small celery root, peeled and julienned (about 1 cup)
1 cup wild arugula or thinly-sliced fresh seaweed (ogo or dulse)
coarse flaky sea salt
Directions
1
Roast Grapes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Put grapes in a single layer in a shallow roasting pan or sauté pan. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 7 to 10 minutes until the grapes soften, release some juice, and are lightly caramelized.
2
Make Seville Orange-Grape Dressing: Combine orange juice, juice from the roasted grapes, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, and additional vinegar to taste. Set aside.
3
Make Gremolata: Combine fennel pollen, Microplaned garlic, orange zest, Aleppo chiles, chopped parsley, and fennel tops with ¼ cup olive oil. Season with sea salt. Set aside.
4
Season sardine fillets with salt, pepper, and remaining olive oil. Grill skin-side down over medium heat until just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. By the time the skin gets a little crispy and rendered, they should be cooked through. No need to flip over. Put sardines in a single layer, skin-side up, on a serving platter, and drizzle with half of the gremolata.
5
Combine celery, fennel, celery root, roasted grapes, and arugula or seaweed in a bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and scatter over the sardine fillets. Top with remaining gremolata and flaky sea salt, and serve.
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