Bloody Mary sardines on toast

As a child, I learned to love sardines in boarding school. One of the treats we occasionally got was cans of sardines in oil. We would dig in with our fingers, dripping the smelly oil all over us, and enjoy the small fish. As I grew older, this delicacy fell off my menu for unknown reasons. My love for sardines was reborn when I was presented with a can. This reminded me of my childhood love for these fish.

This is a very distinct appetizer. The Bloody Mary sauce is pungent and bold, and the fish flavours fit in perfectly. Of course, I had to add a vodka tipple to the sauce for full effect. I loved how these turned out and am craving more!

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall turns his attention to all things fish in this massive book. It deals with all aspects of the aquatic world, from fishing to over 135 recipes for dishes using every kitchen technique. This is an authoritative tome of everything fish and seafood. The recipes are amazing and usually straightforward. This is a cookbook for a fish lover or any chef.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the Bloody Mary sauce:

2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

3-4 shakes of Tabasco or other hot sauce

2-3 shakes of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon celery, minced

Salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon vodka (optional)

Sourdough bread, sliced. toasted

Butter

1 can of sardines of your choice

Mix all the ingredients for the Bloody Mary sauce and taste for salt and spice. It should be a robust sauce with lots of flavours.

Butter the toast. Add a tablespoon of the sauce to the toast. Top with a sardine. Serv immediately.

Note: The toast teds are to get soggy. Please serve as soon as you assemble the dish.