sardine and peppadew sandwich

i have guilt.

tiny fish guilt.

for years, i fell victim

to the popular digs -

about tiny fish found

in tiny cans. i'm open to

trying almost anything,

but the opportunity never

presented itself and i was

fine with that.

and then

one day, i had a marinated

white anchovy. my eyes were

opened. from there, i had

anchovies on pizza, in pasta

and sauteed with cauliflower. i was

the first one to poke my chopsticks

into the small bowls of even teenier

fish set on the table at a korean

restaurant and i willed myself

to try these bite-size crabs. i loved them.

but, still, until three months ago,

sardines were not really part of my life.

then, i ordered them, fresh and grilled, at a restaurant

when nothing else on the menu seemed

appealing. there were five, all with mini bones

to be removed from the admittedly flavorful flesh,

which i was not crazy about.

a month later, when i took larry

to degustation for his amazing birthday dinner,

one of the 10 courses featured sardines.

on one side of the plate was a

freshly cured curl, the other side was

fried and served with pickled onions. it

was one of my favorite dishes of the night.

although, yes, i know there is a difference

between fresh sardines and canned,

in my life, that seemed like the next

most practical leap -

so i started researching them

and buying them: one layer, two layer,

skinless and boneless, whole, packed in oil,

packed in spring water.

(i still haven't ventured

into the tomato sauce, pepper or mustard

packed cans.)

i realized that i like them all,

but if I was forced to tell you about one,

it would have to be the two layer sardines,

packed in olive oil, which for the effort of

opening the can, rewards you with two layers

of fish, from head to tail. trust me - i'm

the person who vowed to never again buy

canned salmon and attempt salmon cakes

after realizing what it meant to remove

the bones from the can. this is different -

the bones are so tiny and tender, that

i didn't even realize they're there. and,

if you are someone who does not like

seeing the entire fish looking back at you,

don't worry - once mashed,

nothing is recognizable.

they are flavorful, but not insultingly so,

much closer to tuna in harshness,

than ultra briny anchovies.

so, i started adding them to different

things, like pasta and salads.

and i started making sandwiches,

like this one,

with capers and mustard,

and spicy-sweet peppadews,

which i hope you try.

but, i will say this.

i'm fully aware that if the idea of opening a can

and seeing these sardines stare back at you,

finding out there are anchovies in your salad dressing

or dried shrimp in your thai food will upset you,

this sandwich is not for you.

this is not a recipe about conversion

or arm twisting.

it's a recipe about another choice for people

who already are fans - or maybe for those like

me: willing, but in need of a push.

sardine and peppadew sandwich

i've made this with a couple different types of canned sardines, which frankly, have all worked. so, feel free to use whatever you have on hand. but, if you're going out and shopping for them, i'm partial to the two layer in olive oil, which surprisingly boast less fat than the sister can packed in spring water. served on a baguette, it's a hearty sandwich appropriate for a fast or home-alone dinner, but on sliced bread, would be great for lunch. also, i think it's fair to say that this is one of those guideline recipes - adjust to suit your taste.

1 large juicy lemon, halved

1 medium shallot, peeled and finely chopped

3 tins sardines

3 tablespoons dijon mustard

1 heaping tablespoon capers, drained

salt and pepper

6-8 peppadews, sliced

mayonnaise, if you like that kind of thing

1 baguette, ends trimmed or 6-8 slices bread (depending on how packed you like your sandwiches

squeeze lemon juice into small mixing bowl. stir in shallots. let sit 20 minutes.

remove sardines from tins and add to bowl (i would refrain from simply overturning the tins into the bowl - you will end up with a lot of oil). using fork, mash sardines. stir in dijon mustard and capers. add salt and pepper to taste. adjust seasonings.

slice baguette in half or place bread slices on clean surface. spread with a thin layer of mayonnaise, if desired. divide sardine mixture evenly among bread slices or bottom layer of baguette. top with peppadews. cut baguette into four even pieces.