Matiz Gallego - Sardines in Olive Oil

WHAT:

Canned sardines.

WHY:

Because they are harvested off the coast of Spain, using traditional methods and prepared by hand. Sardines are also one of the top sustainable fish.

MATIZ GALLEGO - SARDINES IN OLIVE OIL

August 12, 2009

Cantabrian Sardines

Recipe Courtesy of Matiz

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

- 1 can Spanish sardines in olive oil

- 3 slices of bread

- 2 hard boiled eggs

- 4 piquillo peppers

- 1 Tbsp. capers

- 1 Tbsp. parsley

- 1 Tbsp. butter

- 1 Tbsp. mustard

- Spanish olive oil

- Seasalt

Preparation Instructions

Finely chop the egg, the red pepper, the capers, and the parsley. Beat the mustard into the butter until smooth. Remove crusts from bread, spread with butter mixture, and cut each slice of bread in half diagonally. Split the sardines lengthwise and place on bread halves, cover with chopped ingredients and season with oil and salt.

Sardine Pasta Recipe

Recipe Courtesy of Find. Eat. Drink.

Makes 2 healthy servings

Ingredients

- Pasta (dried or fresh)

- Can of sardines in oil (Matiz recommended)

- Handful of peas

- 1/4 inch slice of red onion (or any onion you have)

- Fresh parsley

- Fresh lemon juice

- Lemon zest

- Red pepper flakes

- Salt and pepper

Preparation Instructions

Get a large pot of salted water boiling and add the pasta to the pot. When the pasta is a few minutes from being done, add olive oil and the finely chopped onion to a saute pan on medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper. After about a minute, add the red pepper flakes (to taste, but about a teaspoon works well for a nice background heat) and the peas. After another minute, add the can of sardines with the oil from the can (there is great flavor in that oil) and heat through the sardines. Add a squeeze of lemon and lemon zest to the pan. When the pasta is ready add the pasta to the pot and pasta water as necessary. Turn off the heat, add the fresh parsley, and toss through the pasta. Serve.

Often simple is better and that is certainly the case with the Matiz Gallego sardines. Even the packaging is all white with just a hint of aqua blue trim. Their ingredients includes just three things: sardines, olive oil, and sea salt. There are no preservatives or chemical additives. The silvery fish are so beautiful and glistening, they look like the Italian fashion house Missoni designed them.

Matiz goes out of their way to provide a quality product. The sardines are harvested off the coast of Galicia, a historic area in Northwest Spain bordering the Atlantic Ocean, which is known as "The Seafood Coast.”

Traditional methods are used for obtaining the fish, with respect to the biological cycles of the species, as well as avoiding harm to other sea creatures. Lights are used to attract schools of sardines to the surface, where small nets await to bring them aboard the fishing vessel.

Once harvested, Matiz boasts that their sardines are prepared by hand using old master cannery know-how and then packed with high quality ingredients. The result is a product that is delicate, fresh tasting and moist.

Sardines have the blessing of environmentalists, since they are one of the most sustainable fish. Nutritionists also praise the oily fish for their high level of omega-3 fatty acids.

After trying many different varieties of canned sardines, we find ourselves still voting for Matiz as number one.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with fresh bread or a baguette with a squeeze of lemon juice and great sea salt. Pair with a crisp, minerally white wine such as Albarino or Muscadet.