Sardines

My sister still considers it evidence of child abuse that our mother made gave her sardines and crackers with a bowl of soup for lunch as a young girl. I'm not positive about this, but I'd wager she hasn't eaten a sardine since around 1964.

Me? Oh dear God in heaven, I'd have done anything for a plate of sardines and a bowl of tomato soup. By the time I came along it was dietetic cheese and Rye-Krisp with some saccharine laced gelatin that miraculously did not require refrigeration. Remember that stuff? Believe me, sardines would have been a delight.

So here I am, a mum myself and ready to traumatise yet another generation with the little tins of oil packed fish.

The best part about this version of sardines on toast? The cost. The sardines were .29 cents a tin, the 14.5 oz. tin of tomatoes, .44 cents. The stale end of last week's home baked bread was practically a freebie. I used eight olives, a tablespoon of oil, about ten capers and some chopped herbs. Negligible. A small pinch of hard cheese before placing it the broiler might have added a few cents, but essentially this was a bargain meal. Sardines also make a great provision for emergency kits as they do not require refrigeration and are chock-full of calories if you get them packed in oil. Sardines are the sort of thing I like to keep on hand anyway, but do wait for a sale to stock-up. Walgreens, for some odd reason always seems to have sardines and mandarin oranges on sale. Odd, eh?

You Will Need:

Stale Bread

olive oil

2 tins oil packed sardines

4 black olives

4 green olives

10-12 capers, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon chopped, fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

pepper

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 14.5 oz tin Italian plum tomatoes, drained, chopped and drained again

1 tablespoon finely grated hard cheese such as Romano

Early in the day, mix together olives, capers, herbs, spices, zest and oil in a small bowl. Cover and place in fridge to marinate. Make toasts bu cutting crusts from bread slices and placing in a 200 degree oven for 15 minutes each side until dried out.

Assemble by placing a spoonful of the olive/caper mixture on the toast. Place a few tomato chunks on as well. Top with mashed-up sardines. Give each toast a pinch of cheese and set under a broiler until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.