Chris Mooneys Sardine Tartines Platter Recipes

CHRIS MOONEY'S SARDINE TARTINES PLATTER

Steps:

• Open the tins of sardines, drain off the excess oil, and set the tins in the middle of a lovely, long platter. Halve the baguette lengthwise, then cut into pieces. Toast them, and arrange around the sardines. Cut the lemon into wedges and pile on the platter as well. Serve with a pot of cold (preferably unpasteurized) butter and pepper for grinding over top.

FRIED SALTINES WITH CHEDDAR AND ONION

Steps:

• Slice the Cheddar in neat tablets slightly smaller than the saltines. Slice the onion into thin crescent moons (not half-moons), cutting from root to shoot ends so the ribs fall apart more easily, are shorter and, therefore, more manageable to chew and swallow.
• Heat the oil in a deep-sided sauté pan over medium-high to 350 degrees. Stick a wooden chopstick in the oil to see if it sizzles. If it does, it's ready. Fry the saltines in 3 quick batches, adjusting the heat as needed, using a spider or a slotted spoon to swirl them around a little and to make sure they cook evenly to golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Drain on a wire rack until cool. They keep for a week in an airtight container.
• Set the crackers, cheese and onion on a platter to serve with mustard in a ramekin.

PIQUILLO PEPPER AND SARDINE TARTINES

Steps:

• Preheat broiler. Brush both sides of each bread slice lightly with olive oil. Arrange bread slices on small baking sheet. Broil until beginning to color, about 1 minute per side. Rub 1 side of each bread slice with cut side of garlic and cool.
• Place bread slices, garlic side up, on serving platter. Divide sardines among bread slices. Spread out sardines in thin layer. Sprinkle a few drops of sriracha sauce over each, if desired, then a few drops of lemon juice. Top each tartine with onion slices, several capers, then strip of drained piquillo pepper. Garnish platter with lemon wedges and serve.
• What to Drink:
• With the tartines, pour a refreshing Albariño, a white wine from Spain. We like the Carballal 2008 "Sete Cepas" from Rías Baixas ($15). The wine's mineral notes are balanced beautifully by stone-fruit flavors.