Grilled Sardines with Salsa Verdi, Toasted Ciabatta, Roast Garlic Aioli & Red Wine Vinaigrette
by Resort Manager & Executive Chef Steve Baker, Kata Rocks – Kata
At Kata Rocks, Resort Manager and Executive Chef Steve Baker crafts a dish that celebrates simplicity and flavour. His Grilled Sardines with Salsa Verdi is a nod to Mediterranean coastal cooking — light, aromatic, and meant to be enjoyed with a glass of crisp white wine by the sea.
Ingredients
4–5 fresh sardines, deboned
1 tbsp salsa verdi
1 thick slice ciabatta bread
1 tsp roast garlic aioli
1 tbsp red wine vinaigrette
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 tsp flour (for dusting)
2 sprigs watercress, Italian parsley, or microgreens
Juice of ½ lime
1 lemon wedge
Method
Clean sardines, removing heads and as many bones as possible. Season skin side only with sea salt and pepper, then dust lightly with flour. Pan-fry skin-side down for about one minute — do not flip — keeping the texture soft.
Toast or chargrill ciabatta and spread with salsa verdi. Lay sardines on top, add a spoon of roast garlic aioli, garnish with microgreens, and finish with a squeeze of lime. Dress the plate with red wine vinaigrette and serve immediately.
Salsa Verdi
Soak one handful of ciabatta bread in 50 ml milk. Add ½ handful chopped parsley, 1 tbsp capers, 2 anchovy fillets, lemon or lime juice, and 75–100 ml olive oil. Pulse in a blender until it resembles pesto.
Roast Garlic Aioli
Combine 50 g mayonnaise, 4 roasted garlic cloves, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, lemon juice, sea salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Red Wine Vinaigrette
Mix diced red, green, and yellow peppers (1 tbsp each) with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 50 ml olive oil, 1 tsp brown sugar, ½ tsp garlic, chopped parsley, thyme leaves, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until emulsified.
Chef’s Note: Keep it simple and let the sardines sing. Do not overcook — they should stay moist and tender. Best enjoyed with sparkling wine, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc.
