Take a trip with us to Mexico this evening by making this incredibly tasty sardine Veracruz with roasted tomatoes and olive tapenade!

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 90 min

INGREDIENTS
For the olive tapenade
1 cup green olives, pitted and finely chopped
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 cup olive oil
3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tbsp chives, chopped
3 tbsp thyme, chopped
For the roasted tomatoes
10 ripe plum tomatoes
Salt and black pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
For the sardines
3 tbsp olive oil
Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
12 fresh or frozen sardines, scaled
Salt and black pepper
2 radishes, thinly shaved

METHOD
For the olive tapenade
1. Combine all the ingredients. Set aside.
For the roasted tomatoes
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Halve the tomatoes lengthways and lay them, seed-side up, on a baking tray.
3. Season with salt and pepper and scatter the garlic and thyme on the tomatoes.
4. Drizzle with oil and place in the oven for about an hour.
5. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down.
For the sardines
1. Preheat your oven on grill.
2. Combine the oil, parsley and garlic in a bowl.
3. Place the sardines on an oven tray and season with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle over the parsley mixture and radishes.
4. Place the tray in the oven and grill the sardines for about 10 minutes, until their eyes begin to turn a slightly milky colour.
5. Remove from the oven and serve with the olive tapenade and roasted tomatoes.

If you’re looking for an appetizing superfood meal, this smoked mackerel with vegetarian patties and fig salad recipe, has your name on it!