The Clever Way Jacques Pépin Cooks Sardines For A Crispy, Crunch Treat

The humble sardine might not be as illustrious in the United States as it is in Europe, but that deserves to change. Inexpensive, packed with cardiovascular benefits and protein, as well as the lowest mercury levels among fish, sardines can make for a surprisingly versatile, tasty addition to your weekly rotation. And if you follow the recipe for Jacques Pépin's favorite summer snack of fried sardines, it can be a lot of fun.

One of Pépin's hobbies since childhood has been going to a lake or oceanside and net-fishing for sardines. Once he catches enough for his meal, he cleans the fish, soaks them in milk, and then coats them in flour before frying them in peanut oil heated to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After about five minutes, once they're golden brown and crispy, all that's left is to remove the sardines from the oil, sprinkle them with salt, and get to snacking. They can be eaten whole, bones and all. If that sounds scary, don't worry, especially if you're cooking with canned sardines. The heat the fish are exposed to during packaging softens the bones and makes them perfectly safe to eat.

If you're cooking using fresh-caught sardines, the fish and their bones might be slightly bigger and crunchier — they're still edible, but those feeling cautious can remove them. Many supermarkets also carry boneless sardines for ultimate peace of mind.

Sardines have been part of our history for longer (and in more interesting ways) than you might think. Native American tribes in what is now California were known to hunt for them, and the process of canning sardines actually owes its origin to Napoleon Bonaparte, who, in dire need of feeding an ever-expanding army, offered a reward to the person who could come up with a method for storing and transporting food without it spoiling. Thus, the canned sardine was born.

These days, canned sardines can be found anywhere, which is all the better considering how surprisingly versatile of an ingredient they are. Sardines can be used to add a delicious, salty crunch to avocado toast, especially if you pair it with tomatoes, which are a natural counterpart to the little fish. Jacques Pépin, in addition to his fried snack, is also partial to a simple lunch of sardine salad with greens and Vidalia onions, along with red wine vinegar and herbs. 

The beautiful part of these two dishes is how little effort they require since canned sardines are fully cooked. Just pat some of the oil off and plate them. This brings us to our last, and perhaps most important tip, courtesy of Alton Brown: Always buy sardines packed in oil, never water. According to Brown, sardines in water lose all flavor, whereas their oily counterparts come out of the tin flavorful and delicious.