Portuguese Sardine Pâté

Recipe by Roberta Muir from Be Inspired Food-Wine-Travel – find a print-friendly version here

Sardines abound in Portuguese waters and are one of the country’s most popular fish, with each person consuming an average of 5kg per year. Lisbon's annual sardine festival sees the streets filled with parties, parades and makeshift charcoal grilling stations cooking so many sardines that about 13 are eaten every second of the festival! Chef Jose Silva says: “Paté de sardinha, olives and bread are always on the table when you walk into a restaurant in Portugal, even before you order.” I make my Portuguese sardine pate with artisanal Aussie sardines, caught and preserved in South Australia by the Little Tin Co. I serve it with olives and another favourite Portuguese snack, lupine (tremoço in Portuguese), which are eaten by squeezing the bean out of the outer skin that's then discarded – and a glass of Sigurd Wines rosé, an unfiltered, unfined blend of at least 8 different varietals that’s a perfect match for the rich sardine flavour.

INGREDIENTS 

1 x 110g tin of Little Tin Co Sardines In Australian 0il

50g softened butter

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Squeeze lemon juice

Olives, lupine and bread, for serving

METHOD

Drain the sardines, gently rub off as much skin as possible. Place sardine meat in a bowl with butter, oil and paprika and mash to form a coarse paste. Taste and add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.

TO SERVE

Serve with crusty bread, olives and lupine.