There’s a skilled angler in my neighborhood, and whenever the catch is good, I end up getting a share—well, more like having fresh fish thrust upon me.
This time, I was given some sardines. They’re said to be relatively easy to handle, but if you’re careless, the flesh falls apart, so they do take a bit of skill.
They also lose freshness quickly, so they need to be cooked the same day.
It’s definitely much better that way.
…which is why this jumps straight to the top of today’s task list.
(As freshness declines, the risk of food poisoning also increases—quite seriously.)
Of course, I know they’re delicious as sashimi, but when it comes to fresh fish I’ve been given, I tend to cook it through—even though it feels a bit wasteful.
No bad intentions, but about 20 years ago, I had a bad case of food poisoning from fish that had been caught, filleted, and shared as sashimi. That experience still sticks with me.
And more than anything, I love crispy fried fish bones.
I made the fillets into nanban-style marinade.
Thanks for the meal.
