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Four grilled sardines with blistered skin on a white oval plate with lemon wedges and oregano, shot from above

Grilled Sardines with Lemon and Oregano, Greek Island Style

Whole sardines are marinated for 15 minutes, grilled for about 3 minutes per side, and finished with lemon juice and olive oil.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 148
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the sardines
  • 8 fresh whole sardines (about 600 g); scaled and gutted, heads on
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for the marinade
  • 1 lemon zested, then juiced
  • 2 cloves garlic finely grated
  • 2 tsp dried Greek oregano
  • 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tsp olive oil for the pan
To finish
  • 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, optional

Method
 

  1. Rinse the sardines under cold water, then pat them completely dry with paper towels, inside and out. Check that they're scaled and gutted, and lay them in a shallow dish.
  2. Zest 1 lemon into a small bowl. Add 3 tbsp olive oil, the grated garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper, and stir. Spoon the marinade over the sardines and turn them to coat, including inside the belly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  3. Set a 30 cm / 12-inch cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until a drop of water sizzles and vanishes at once. Brush the ridges lightly with 1 tsp olive oil.
  4. Lay 4 sardines in the pan with space between them. Grill for 3 minutes without moving them, until the skin is blistered and releases from the pan, then flip with a thin spatula and grill another 3 minutes. The flesh should be opaque and pull away from the bone, or reach 145 F / 63 C if you check with a thermometer. If a sardine sticks, give it another 30 seconds before trying again.
  5. Move the first batch to a warm plate, then grill the remaining 4 sardines the same way.
  6. Squeeze the juice of the zested lemon over all the sardines, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, and scatter on the parsley. Serve right away with the lemon wedges, within 10 minutes of leaving the pan.

Notes

  • Ask the fish seller to scale and gut the sardines, and leave the heads on.
  • Zest the lemon before juicing it, then save the juice for after grilling.
  • Marinate for 15 minutes only, in the fridge, so the flesh stays firm.
  • Taste one before adding extra salt, since the marinade already seasons the fish.