Sardine Escabeche

Portuguese-inspired pickled sardines with caramelized onions, vinegar, and warm spices. A bright, tangy cold appetizer ready in under 30 minutes.

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Ingredients

1
Place each onion root-end down on the cutting board, cut it lengthwise in half from root to tip, then place each half flat-side down and slice crosswise into thin rings about 1/8 inch thick.
2
Drain the sardines in a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the oil separately, then gently pat the sardines dry with paper towels so they don't splatter when cooking.
3
Heat the reserved sardine oil plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 60 seconds.
4
Add the onion slices to the hot oil and cook, stirring once every 30 seconds, until they turn golden and soft, about 8–10 minutes — they should look caramelized, not raw or burnt.
5
Scatter the peppercorns and bay leaves into the onions, then stir for 10 seconds until you smell the spices strongly — this wakes up their flavor.
6
Pour in the white wine vinegar slowly and carefully, as it will steam and bubble up when it hits the hot pan — stir gently for 15 seconds to combine.
7
Add the drained sardines to the skillet and gently turn them over with a wooden spoon once or twice to coat them in the warm vinegar mixture, about 20 seconds — do not break them.
8
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the salt, stir very gently once, then transfer everything to a serving dish and let it cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
9
Sprinkle the chopped fresh parsley or dill over the top just before serving.

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