Mediterranean Archives

El Manar Mediterranean Sardines in Sunflower Oil

I got these El Manar Mediterranean Sardines in Sunflower Oil from another new-to-me local vendor, this time a Middle Eastern market. I had been wanting to try the brand for a long time, but they were never available individually priced on Amazon. While they were very attractively priced by the dozen there, I was reluctant to commit to twelve cans of an unknown commodity.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

This was one of those super stiff cans you think you'll never get the lid off. I was finally able to do so with minimal oil splatter. After doing so, I didn't note much in the way of aroma, only the slightest whiff of a fresh fish smell. A sip of the oil was also neutral, not unexpected from sunflower oil.

There looks to be a generous number of fish in this can, which is a good thing. I also see little or nothing in the way of scales or fins. Also good.

Lunch Time

Unloading the can out over rice, I am pleased to see a total of eight fish. They are firm enough to remain intact.

An initial bite reveals a meaty texture, not dry but not what I would call juicy by any means. I also note they are surprisingly a little salty, but not off-puttingly so. The English language label lists 270mg. sodium, relatively low for tinned fish.

After finishing half the can, I decided to season them up a little. A new jar of Micro Pharms Crunchy Garlic Oil seemed the perfect choice. It has tons of crunch, and by typical chili crisp/crunch standards, isn't salty at all. Turns out it was a good combination. I note the Amazon listing's image of the label says 0mg. sodium, but it's actually a still-very low 60mg.

Main Takeaways

Tender but firm fish
Generous portion
A little salty

Overall, I thought there was much to like about these, and just may consider purchasing a dozen. El Manar also sells a version packed in harissa oil. Hopefully, I can convince the local vendor to consider stocking them as well.

Brand: ManarThon-Zarzis / El Manar
Description: Sardines in sunflower oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Tunisia
Source: FAO37, Mediterranean Sea
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $3-4

Chicken of the Sea Sardines Mediterranean Style

DeenLeave a comment

I got these Chicken of the Sea Sardines Mediterranean Style at a supermarket a good while ago, and had largely forgotten about them. Probably because I had too many better cans to try. Anyway, it's good to keep trying tins from all price ranges because, for better or worse, you never know what you might find.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.7/5.

Visually, not bad, not bad at all. A little roughed up skin, but not a totally haphazard packing. They are sprats, and I wonder if I'll ever come across a can packed with herring instead, as the label indicates I might.

Not really any distinctive aroma coming through. A sip of the oil, listed primarily as soybean, has only the most subtle hint of the seasonings. There do appear, however, to be a reasonable amount of olive slices and a lesser amount of finely chopped seasonings. EVOO is further down the ingredient list, and I wondered if it was only there courtesy of the olives.

Digging In

"Digging in" is apropos, as they are quite tender. I couldn't get a single fish out of the can without it totally falling apart. I wouldn't characterize them as mushy (or maybe I would), but I would have preferred a good deal more firmness.

Far down the ingredient list is smoke flavor, but I didn't detect it. The salt level was just about right, but I wondered if the olives had more to do with it than the intentional addition of salt. I looked for sodium content on the label, but only just now realized they don't list any nutritional info. You are given a phone number to call to get it from there. As if... Their website says 400mg.

There were about 8 decent size sprats total. By the time I reached the last 10% of the contents, all I had left were a few olive slices and a small pile of sardine debris equal to about one sprat's worth of meat.

Main Takeaways

The presentation was a little better than the other Chicken of the Sea sardines I've tried to date
Too "fall apart-y"
The overall flavor was OK, but missing any hint of smokiness promised

Parting Thoughts

This was the last of three cans purchased to assess Chicken of the Sea flavored varieties, including those in lemon sauce and in Louisiana hot sauce. Looking back, my experience with and opinion of the Mediterranean style and the lemon sauce version was virtually the same. The hot sauce version, I thought, was the best of the three.

Brand: Chicken of the Sea
Description: Brisling Sardines Mediterranean Style
Species: Sprattus sprattus
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $2

King Oscar Sardines in EVOO Mediterranean Style

DeenLeave a comment

King Oscar features several flavored variations, the majority of which are confined to their brisling offerings. Of those, some are packed 8+ fish, in one layer (larger sprats) or 12+ fish, in two layers (smaller sprats). These King Oscar Sardines in EVOO Mediterranean Style are the larger.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

Nice looking fish in a fully-packed can. Clean aroma, scented with the black olives and Herbes de Provence (airb duh pro-VONS), an aromatic mixture of dried Provençal herbs and spices, which traditionally includes thyme, basil, rosemary, tarragon, savory, marjoram, oregano, and bay leaf. Herbes de Provence are most commonly used in French cuisine, though the flavors also pair well with Mediterranean cuisine.

The seasonings are well-balanced, infusing the EVOO nicely, and the fish tender and meaty. At under $3, a definite re-buy.

See it at Amazon.

Brand: King Oscar
Description: Wild Caught Sardines in EVOO, Mediterranean Style
Species: Sprattus sprattus
Country of Origin: Poland
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $2-3