Sardeenz!

Angelo Parodi Sardines in Olive Oil

These Angelo Parodi Sardines in Olive Oil came with an order from International Loft a few months ago. I had already tried their spicy sardines, and found them very good. I wanted to see if these plain pilchards would stand on their own. Some packages seen call them Portugese Sardines, either in English or Portugese.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

Not nearly as impressive as the spicy ones were. There's not really much in the way of an aroma, just some slight fishiness, but not in a bad way. A sip of the oil is neutral. It's not EVOO, so not really surprising.

There appear to be four sizeable pilchards, all a bit ragged-looking, with some bones peering from the cavity opening. Some scales evident. Also, some pelvic fins, and on one, a tail. There are specks of something I suspect might be a little dirt. An initial bite is a bit bland, but the sardine flavor is fresh.

Let's Proceed

I'm surprised how pedestrian these look compared to the spicy ones, which were nicely packed and in virtually pristine condition.

Digging in, I found them tender and moist. The sodium level is listed as 420mg, but the taste is of far less salt.

Still, on the palate they are a meaty sardine, appearances aside.

When I got to the last fish, I broke out a little chili crisp to season it up, and that bit of extra saltiness was an improvement.

Main Takeaways

Not the prettiest pilchards
Moist, tender and meaty fish
Good flavor once you get past the looks

I have three more tins of these I got from Home Goods. They certainly will be from a different lot, so the possibility exists this tin was an anomaly, appearance-wise. I'll update once I try them, either way.

Brand: Angel Parodi
Description: Sardines in Olive Oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.23 oz.
Price Range: $4

El Raño Wild Caught Sardines with Lemon Essence

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I had read you could sometimes find sardines at Home Goods stores. These El Raño Wild Caught Sardines with Lemon Essence would be my third such find there. The store has a "gourmet foods" aisle, and it's typically crammed full with a hodgepodge of jarred sauces, olive oils, snacks, condiments and sundry other such items.

You really have to stoop and dig sometimes, as none of it is what you'd call "merchandised". And you kind of have to watch the pricing, too. Sometimes their marked-down price is slightly above that which you can find elsewhere, if you know where to look.

This happened to be a promotional package that included a ceramic serving dish. The boxed tin was nestled in the dish, and all was slipped into a cardboard sleeve. A dot of glue kept things from sliding apart, but it also damaged the carton upon opening. I tried to find an image of an identical carton, but to no avail. It seems like many canneries change their packaging more often than their underwear. So, I did a little quick cut-and-paste photo fixing.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/5.

Not very pretty. It's three quite large pilchards (allegedly) crammed into the deep can. I see spine and bones protruding from one, and there are quite a number of scales. And at least one set of pelvic fins. A far cry from the pretty, silver-bellied specimens found in better tins.

There is an initial subtle aroma of lemon which quickly dissipates. There is no fishy aroma to be detected. A sip of the oil takes a moment to echo the lemon flavor.

Here We Go

Getting the first one out was difficult, and it had to be broken up to extract it. The large spine, as well as some residual entrails I'm not used to dealing with, I found to be a distraction. I scraped off some more scales and resumed my assessment.

There was a tablespoon or more of oil (listed only as vegetable oil) left in the can. I poured most of it over everything in hopes of maximizing any experience of lemon flavor.

I noted the meat was not dry, but it flaked in a way I'm not used to with sardines. Its texture was a bit like some other kind of fish (tilapia?). Another distraction. But I soldiered on.

The heat of the rice did let the lemon flavor bloom a bit, and I found at least that part of things pleasant. There was no actual lemon in the can, so "natural lemon flavor" is all I have to go on. The salt balance was OK, neither too high nor too low.

Main Takeaways

Large fish, with odd texture
Too much in the way of scales and other unpleasantries
Distractions interfered with enjoyment

I had higher hopes for these. The El Raño label is under the umbrella of Conservas Artesanas Gallegas, which also produces La Narval and Maruxaina. But it appears to be their "value" brand.

Here's a view of the full package and the serving dish.

The cost was $8, with the store tag saying "compare at $10". The dish is nothing special. But for cheap, who cares? If it had been $8 for just the tin of fish, however, I wouldn't have considered it a bargain.

Amazon sells a double-pack of a small sardines version of these at a tempting price, but I am ambivalent about risking the $12 for two smallish cans only to be potentially disappointed again.

Brand: Conservas Artesanas Gallegas / El Raño
Description: Wild caught sardines with lemon essence
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $10

Fangst No.1 Limfjord Blue Mussels

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Officially, Fangst Blåmusling No.1 Limfjord Blue Mussels. The "No.x" designation on Fangst products appears to simplify differentiating between preparation methods. There is also a "No.2" which is just smoked blue mussels. Not entirely necessary, but at minimum a convenience. The blåmusling is a bit redundant, as it only means "blue mussel" in Danish. This tin from Caputo's has been in my inventory for months now, and it seemed like high time to crack it open.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

These are tiny. And numerous. There must be at least 40 in there, maybe more. The initial aroma is odd, vinegary. A check of the label confirms apple cider vinegar in addition to the cold-pressed rapeseed oil. A sip of the liquid is both tangy and, I have to say, kind of nutty in an herbaceous way.

Taking out my trusty culinary tweezers, I started in. Picking them out, one at a time, I note the flavor of the mussels is delicate. They are meaty yet tender. The oil, vinegar, dill and fennel seeds give a subtle vinaigrette flavor to it all. It takes a moment, but I realize the dill is also seeds, not the dried herb.

The marinade also has a slight sweetness. I don't really find things here too salty at all, so the label listing 700mg. sodium is surprising. I would have guessed far less, half that at most.

Being nerdy, I counted them as I ate. Ultimately, there were 50 in total. Underneath it all was a copious quantity of the dill seeds and fennel seeds. I tasted spoonfulls of the marinade and seeds and thought about ways I might use this tin as part of a recipe in the future. Whisking the marinade with some additional oil for use as a dressing over a light pasta with the mussels seemed like it might work well.

Main Takeaways

Tiny, meaty mussels
Well-balanced marinade doesn't overpower shellfish flavor
A little spendy, but worth it

Reasonably priced in packs of three at Amazon.

Brand: Fangst (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Description: Limfjord blue mussels with dill and fennel seeds
Species: Mytilus Edulis
Country of Origin: Denmark
Source: FAO 27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 3.88 oz.
Price Range: $10

Briosa Gourmet Spiced Mackerel Fillets

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These Briosa Gourmet Spiced Mackerel Fillets came with an order from International Loft about two months ago. I don't know why it took so long to get around to cracking the can. I had previously reviewed their spiced sardines around that time, and found them worthy. Would these be as impressive? Let's find out.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Some beautiful mackerel fillets. The aroma of spice hits the nose immediately. A sip of the oil has a spiciness reminiscent of a Spanish red vermut. A nibble of the fish has, as hoped, a mild, fresh fish taste.

Let's Dig In

Lifting the fillets from the can, they are firm and remain relatively intact. There are five fillets, or at least separate pieces, in total. Some tend to split lengthwise as they are transferred to the bowl of rice.

Underneath, there is the trinity of carrot, pepper and pickle. I taste the latter, and it indeed appears to be a pickle, not just a slice of cucumber. This time, there are two small cloves, maybe three, as I think I ate a tiny one with the last fragment of fish in the can. The pepper appears to have expended the bulk of its heat, infusing it into the olive oil.

About two tablespoons-worth of the red-tinged oil were left in the tin, and I poured the majority of it out over everything.

The meat is firm yet tender, flaking readily. I marveled as I ate how in-balance everything was and how complementary it was to the fish. The spices, the heat, the salt level all in a just-right combination. None overpowered the other nor the flavor of the fish, and the heat remained steady and subtle throughout. At no point did I consider adding any hot sauce or chili crisp. I can't think of anything that would have improved upon it just as it came from the tin.

Mian Takeaways

Mild, meaty mackerel
Well-balanced spices
Generous portion

A definite re-buy.

Brand: Conservas Portugal Norte / Briosa Gourmet
Description: Spiced mackerel fillets in olive oil
Species: Scomber sp.
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $6-7

King Oscar Sardines in EVOO with Hot Jalapeño Peppers

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Time for some sprats. These King Oscar Sardines in EVOO with Hot Jalapeño Peppers are one of several flavored brisling variations the producer sells. Some are packed 8-12 fish, packed in a single layer. Others, like these are "12+" fish (used to say 12-22), packed in two layers. These promise to be hot. Let's see if they are.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

As expected, we have the interlaced packing typical of King Oscar sprats. No mushy glop of fish here, they look nice and firm. The skins are mostly intact. The aroma skews heavily to the jalapeño, of which there are a handful of slices placed on top. The wrapper says lightly wood-smoked, but it's hard to tell over the scent of the pepper.

The oil is tinged a greenish color, but I suspect that's less to do with the EVOO and more to do with the green of the peppers. A tentative sip of it gives a subtle amount of heat on the tongue.

Digging In

Extracting them from the can, they are not as firm as they look. Almost fused together, each is reluctant to remain intact as I pry them apart. They are tender, but I wouldn't write off the "fall aparty-ness" as being mushy. It's hard to tell, but I think there are 14 fish total, 8 on top with 6 underneath.

Being sprats, they still have tails, but they're not prickly, as can sometimes be the case. These are from Poland, and it's those from Latvia that often exhibit tails that can be a little scratchy.

I ate these straight from the can. I've always viewed sprats/brisling more as the snack sardine, rather than something I'd make a meal of. Working through them, I noted the heat level was very steady, enough to leave a tingling sensation on the lips and tongue, but not enough to irritate the back of the throat.

The salt level is just right, about that to be expected from the 330 mg. listed on the wrapper.

Honestly, I don't know if I'd buy these again. My heat preference with sardines skews more to piri-piri peppers or the Sichuan pepper of a spicy chili crisp. But, if you like jalapeño, these might be the ticket for you.

Main Takeaways

Good sardine flavor
Moderate heat from the peppers
Not really getting any smoke flavor

As with their sprats in EVOO, these were also $3.58 at Walmart, which I think is a little high. In quantity from Amazon, they can be had for quite a bit less.

Brand: King Oscar
Description: Brisling in EVOO with hot jalapeño peppers
Species: Sprattus sprattus
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO 27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $3-4

Let’s Make Some Pickles

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A variety of tinned fish and other preserved seafood are complemented by salty, vinegary condiments and snacks, pickles being one. The acidity and saltiness cut through the richness of the conservas typically found in an aperitivo table setting. Making your own pickles can be fun and easy. And you can adjust the recipe to your liking. So, let's make some pickles!

Getting Everything Ready

For the equipment:

A 2-cup graduated glass measuring cup
A 1 to 1-1/2 quart sauce pan
Measuring spoon set
A 32 oz. tall plastic deli container with lid

For the pickles:

1 16 oz. bag of mini cucumbers
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
2 level Tbl. coarse kosher salt
1 level Tbl. pickling spices
2 level tsp. granulated table sugar
1/2 tsp. dried dill weed (optional)
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the cucumbers by:

Washing and drying
Trimming off blossom ends and any stems
Cutting into spears (quartering larger cucumbers lengthwise; halving smaller ones)

Pack spears vertically into deli container. Typically, the contents of a 16 oz. bag of mini cucumbers (find at Walmart, Aldi, etc.) so-prepared will fit snuggly into the specified container.

Prepare the pickling brine:

Fill measuring cup to the 3/4 cup (6 oz.) line with vinegar. Fill rest of cup to the 2 cup line with cool tap water. If this doesn't seem like enough vinegar, trust me, it is. Pour into sauce pan. Add the carefully measured salt, pickling spices, sugar, dill and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and allow to settle a minute.

Carefully pour the hot pickle brine over the cucumber spears, scraping any pickling spices left in the pan into the container. Normally, this amount of liquid will be enough to fill the container to the very top, submerging the spears completely. If a quarter inch or so of the cucumbers sticks out above the brine, it won't really matter.

Place the lid on the container and allow to cool somewhat before refrigerating. I usually wait an hour. If you want to add a little water just to completely submerge the pickles at this point, that's OK.

Refrigerate and Wait

Allow 24 hours to chill and for the brine to work its magic. The pickles will be flavorful, with crisp, crunchy skins. Store refrigerated up to two weeks. That is, if you don't eat them all before then.

Hold On A Minute...

Shouldn't I use pickling salt for pickles?

You could, but it's not necessary. Pickling salt is just very fine grain sodium chloride (aka salt) and contains no additives. It is made to dissolve easily and thoroughly, creating a clear brine. Most people have coarse kosher salt on hand, which will dissolve just fine in the boiling brine.

If you do use pickling salt, however, be aware that it is heavier by volume than coarse kosher, and, if not reduced to compensate, will make the brine in this recipe too salty. The same caveat applies to non-coarse kosher salt.

Can I just use regular table salt instead?

Table salt contains iodine and anti-caking agents, which kosher salt does not. The first, in the quantity called for here, will give an "off" taste. The second will make the brine cloudy. You want a (mostly) clear brine, so that if it does turn cloudy later, you'll know to suspect contamination or spoilage.

I don't have one of those deli containers. Can I just use a Mason jar?

You could, but be aware that the shock of pouring boiling hot liquid into it could cause it to crack and break. If you have a covered, heat resistant storage dish, like Pyrex, using that, even with the pickles laying flat, would be a better choice.

Angelo Parodi Sardines in Olive Oil with Chili Peppers

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I've been wanting to try these Angelo Parodi Sardines in Olive Oil with Chili Peppers ever since my first experience with the brand, their boneless skinless sardines. Those didn't really impress me, but I hoped these Portugese pilchards would.

As with several brands these days, you may encounter several versions of packages containing the same thing. Depending upon where and when you buy them, they may appear as below or labeled in Italian as "Sardine Piccanti". The carton is impressive, with embossed, metallic highlights more in keeping with brands of much higher price (although those seen dated later lack the embossing) .

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Some gorgeous sardines. Carefully packed silvery belly side-up. Only a couple pectoral fins and no tails. No discernable scales. The aroma from the can is not revealing anything. A sip of the reddish tinged oil tastes neutral until it reaches the back of the throat, but the heat is not at all harsh.

There are three husky fish in total. Trying to extract them from the can intact is difficult. To their credit, they are tender enough to want to split in two if not supported evenly. Underneath, there is one long piri-piri pepper that has been cut in half. Other cans I have seen contained multiple small peppers. These are not sold as "spiced" sardines or "in spiced oil", so no bay leaf or cloves. They are simply packed with just olive oil, chili peppers and salt.

Let's Eat

Here you can see the one large, bisected pepper. I tasted it, and any heat it may have had was already given up to the olive oil.

There were a good couple of tablespoons of oil left in the can, and I poured about two thirds of it over everything.

Turning to the fish, they are incredibly tender and rich. Not dry at all. The heat from the pepper is moderate and steady, not interfering with the flavor of the fish, which is fresh and mild. The salt level, listed as 420 mg, is also just right, enough to enhance the flavor without being intrusive.

Overall, there's a lot to like with these. And hard to beat for the price. A daily driver candidate, for sure.

Main Takeaways

Beautifully packed
Moist, tender, meaty fish
Steady, moderate heat from the pepper doesn't compete with the sardine flavor

Brand: Angel Parodi
Description: Sardines in Olive Oil with Chili Peppers
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.23 oz.
Price Range: $4