SARDINE AU PLAT
Rolled shortcrust folded up around pan-glazed apples, set alight with Calvados. 
Among the beautiful dishes Brittany offers, I have a particular fondness for this sardine recipe. I love its simplicity and the use of sardines makes it extra easy because they’re so readily available and affordable. This one-pot recipe allows you to avoid the hassle (and the smell) of grilling sardines. All you need is a small baking dish, a handful of basic ingredients, and your trusty oven to create a delicious and healthy starter. This recipe uses the 'marinière' cooking technique, baking the sardines on a bed of shallots, wine, lemon, and herbs, infusing them with refreshing flavors.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
6 fresh sardines, ideally gutted and with heads removed
30 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 shallot, finely diced.
1 lemon
Salt and pepper to season.
1 or 2 tbsp dry white wine (French sauvignon blanc is best)
Handful of parsley
For the shallot garnish (optional)
2 or 3 shallot, finely sliced lengthways
MISE EN PLACE
You will need a small baking dish for this recipe.
Method
Spread the diced shallots evenly around the baking tray and gently sprinkle them with the butter cubes. Lay the sardines on top and add some more shallots and butter cubes on top. Drizzle with the lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and pour over 1-2 tablespoons of white wine.
You have two options to cook the sardines. The first is to preheat your oven to 250°C / 480°F with the top and bottom heating elements on, and cook for 10 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook the sardines under the broiler with the dish close to the heating element for 10 minutes .
Meanwhile, make the shallot garnish by pan-frying the sliced shallots in some oil until they become golden and crispy (about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally). (This step is optional).
When the sardines are done, spoon the cooking juices over them and sprinkle with parsley and the sautéed shallot garnish (if using). Serve with a few slices of lemon.
NOTE
This technique works just as well with other types of fish such as mackerel, but you will need to use fillets and not the whole fish.