Our chef Alex shares tips how to make the most of high-quality tinned fish.
Countries like Spain and Portugal are real experts, they actually have conservas restaurants, where tins are the only thing that come to table, and special stores selling only tinned fish. Not just tuna and salmon, but scallops, oysters, squid packaged in its own ink, and even urchin caviar. The fish is cooked first and then immediately put into the tin, making all the difference in flavour. A well canned sardine will develop a wonderful umami flavour over the years.
So put the can on the menu and serve it with elegant homemade side dishes. Like tinned octopus on thinly sliced new boiled potatoes with salsa verde, or canned sardines with hummus and relish of preserved lemon and tarragon.
