tomato sauce Archives

Sultan Moroccan Sardines with Tomato Sauce & Hot Peppers

These Sultan Moroccan Sardines with Tomato Sauce & Hot Peppers sounded appetizing. I'd had mixed results with similar ones before. This brand came to my attention as a "recommended" product on Amazon. I assume the algorithm has noticed by now that I search for tinned fish on there frequently. They were on sale for $5, so I gave them a shot.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

I was slightly concerned they might be old stock, but the can indicates they were packed in the last six months, and with an expiration date of 2029.

Some sizeable fish, packed in there tightly. Looks like three, but this is one of those deep cans, so there's more than meets the eye. No apparent scales, and the skin is reasonably intact.

No aroma to speak of, neither fish nor sauce. A sip of the sauce is brightly tomato-y, but no heat at all. The ingredients don't list anything seasoning the sauce other than the alleged chili pepper.

Let's Dig In

I was able to extract them all fairly intact. There were six in total, a generous portion. I poured the rest of the sauce from the can over everything. There was no physical pepper in the bottom.

Trying just a bite of fish with a glop of the tomato sauce, but still getting no heat. I found the meat tender and with a good sardine flavor. The salt level is good, an average 310mg. I've had good experiences with Moroccan sardines before, and this one added another one.

Half a can in, I still couldn't help thinking the tomato sauce was far more bland than promised. A few dashes of Valentina did the trick. It had just enough heat to kick up the tomato sauce with a subtle amount of heat, while at the same time not masking the flavor of the fish.

Main Takeaways

Nice meaty, tender fish
Generous portion
Bland sauce, but nothing a little hot sauce couldn't fix

Brand: Sultan
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce & hot pepper
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $5

Porthos Sardines in Hot Tomato Sauce

DeenLeave a comment

These Porthos Sardines in Hot Tomato Sauce are from a recent run to World Market. My previous satisfaction with a similar selection from Nuri had me curious. Those were the same price, albeit from a different vendor. Let's see how it went.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Nice looking fish, even partially obscured by the tomato sauce. There look to be five fish. They maybe could have fit one more in there. The label actually says "Fish - min. 65%", a notation I don't recall seeing before.

The aroma is fragrant and tomato-y. A sip of the oil (sunflower)/sauce mixture echoes the tomato aroma. The flavor is mild, with a slight sweetness of ripe tomatoes. But I'm getting no heat.

The first fish out breaks apart somewhat easily. A bite of it reveals the meat is tender and moist, with a good sardine flavor. Porthos is consistent in that respect. The salt level is about right, just enough to not be missed. Still no heat, though.

The tomato sauce/oil combo is thick enough that it sticks to bites of fish dredged through it. It has the taste of a tomato sauce that has been seasoned, but not necessarily by hot pepper.

Clearing out more of the can, I find no pepper underneath the fish. Looking at the label, it just says "natural chilli flavoring". Hmmm... Well, that's kind of disappointing.

Main Takeaways

Flavorful tomato sauce, even if absent the promised heat
Good quality Portugese pilchards, nonetheless

If this can's lack of heat isn't an anomaly, I think I'll stick with the Nuri for spiced sardines in tomato sauce. I still like the Porthos Spiced Sardines, though.

Brand: Conservas Portugal Norte / Porthos
Description: Sardines in hot tomato sauce
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $6

Nuri Spiced Sardines in Tomato Sauce

DeenLeave a comment

I received these Nuri Spiced Sardines in Tomato Sauce as part of my recent order from International Loft. They would be a departure for me, as I had long resisted trying sardines packed in tomato sauce. It just didn't sound all that appealing. But the notion of a spiced tomato sauce piqued my curiosity. The results were surprising.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Only a fraction off because I initially thought it was only two huge pilchards. I quickly realized the can was deep, and it was a total of four. The tomato sauce looks thick, and that's a plus. It's not just a watery canned-type sauce.

There's not any real aroma from the can, the fish, the seasoning or otherwise. A sip of the oil/sauce is promising. There's a really delayed heat that doesn't hit until well into the back of the throat. But it wasn't overpowering.

I dug out the first fish, and it was tender enough to want to break apart. A taste of the fish was impressive. It was really impossible to get a sense of just the fish taste due to the tomato sauce, but everything was working in a positive way. I soon found a small red pepper, then a pickle, and finally a slice of carrot. The usual spiced suspects.

As I went, I dragged each morsel through the sauce, which was thick enough to adhere and give the complete experience to every bite. Really, really good. Everything in balance. I even got a spoon and finished every last bit of what was left in the can.

Main Takeaways

Nice tender, flavorful fish, even though larger than my preference
The sauce was really good, and combined with the spice even better
Definitely buying again

Reasonably priced in a 2-pack at Amazon.

Full Disclosure

I watched a few reviews of sardines in tomato sauce before trying these. The one that made me choose them was by Sardine Expedition. And even though she found them untenably salty, I took the chance that the can she tried was an anomaly. At 500 mg. sodium for a generous 4.4 oz. portion, they shouldn't have been a total salt bomb. And even though her review was 3 weeks ago, her can was expiration dated DEC2028 while mine was 2032, meaning they were canned apparently four years apart.

Brand: Pinhais/Nuri
Description: Spiced Sardines in tomato sauce
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: $6