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Fresh baguette slices are slathered with lemony anchovy butter, then topped with crisp radishes, sweet peas, tender brisling sardines, and fresh dill for the perfect spring appetizer.
Hey! I hope you’re all having a great start to your week. I wanted to pop in before the Easter weekend to bring the sardine lovers here a fun and seasonal appetizer to pass around. Or! Just make a plate for yourself and treat it as a meal. That’s exactly what I did with these ;)
Spring produce!
When the topic of spring produce comes up, my mind immediately goes to sweet peas and crisp radishes. Even asparagus is a second thought in comparison to those two. There’s just something about peas and radishes—especially together—that screams freshness to me. Add some lemony anchovy butter and fresh dill to the equation, and you’ve got the perfect blend of complements for those tender omega-3 rich sardines.
In my time partnering with King Oscar, I’ve been challenged to think outside the box when it comes to working with sardines. I’ve incorporated them into Greek-inspired pitas and I’ve stuffed them into a melty, messy grilled cheese sandwiches. One thing that the folks at King Oscar and I have noticed, however, is that many sardine lovers are purists; they don’t feel the need to get fancy with their favorite little fish. And every once in a while, we like to recognize that with a recipe that’s on the simpler side.
King Oscar sardines don’t need fancying.
There’s a reason why these wild-caught brisling sardines in extra virgin olive oil are the brand’s most sought-after flavor. Even with mouthwatering variations like Mediterranean and Hot Jalapeño, the clean slate that is the brisling sardine in extra virgin olive oil wins. And that’s because quality food needs very little help. Like a good steak needs nothing more than a solid seasoning of salt and pepper, a good pack of sardines needs nothing more than some quality olive oil. (But trust me, the other flavors are totally worth digging into.) If you can’t find King Oscar’s sardines at your local supermarket, Amazon’s got your back.
The refreshing flavors in this recipe let the sardine shine. I also decided to use King Oscar’s perfectly salty anchovies in my lemony anchovy butter. They are, hands down, the best tinned anchovies you’ll find at the supermarket.
I hope the rest of your week goes quickly, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend filled with delicious food!
I’ll be back next week with an incredible pizza recipe. You won’t want to miss it.
If you try this recipe or create your own variation, let me know in the comments! I love connecting with you. Then snap a photo and tag me on the Insta @killing__thyme to be featured in our newsletter.
Spring Snap Pea and Radish Canapés with King Oscar Sardines
Ingredients
Lemon Anchovy Butter.
- 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
- 1 2 oz can of King Oscar anchovy fillets, drained
- 1 lemon, zested, then cut into wedges
Spring Canapés with Sardines.
- 1 fresh French baguette, sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch thick slices (you should get about 16)
- 2-4 red radishes, thinly sliced (preferably with a mandolin on the thinnest setting), Amount of radishes depends on their size and how thinly you can slice them, so eyeball it.
- 1/4 cup peas, Fresh peas are preferred. Sugar snap peas work wonderfully. If you can't get your hands on fresh, get frozen and thaw them prior to preparing your canapés.
- 2 TBSP freshly chopped dill
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 can of King Oscar brisling sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil; two layer or cross-pack., *See notes.
Instructions
- In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the butter, minced anchovy fillets, and lemon zest. Set aside.
- Spread anchovy butter over one side of each baguette slice
- Top each baguette slice with a few radish slices, peas, and a sardine fillet. Top with freshly chopped dill and drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
