grilled sardines with caponata

serves 4

• 12 fresh sardines scaled, gilled and gutted
• 6 t olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large or 3 smaller garlic cloves finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 medium eggplant 1/4 inch diced
• 1/2 cup pitted green olives with pimentos halved
• 2 t capers
• 2 nice ripe tomatoes chopped (or 1/2 cup canned italian san marzano tomatoes)
• 1  1/2 t red wine vinegar
• 1 t sugar
• 2 t pine nuts, toasted
• sea salt (coarse)

caponata
heat 2 t olive oil in pan and add celery, onion , fry for 2 minutes. add garlic and basil and fry for another 3–4 minutes until nicely browned. transfer to a bowl.

add remaining oil to pan and fry the eggplant for 5–8 minutes or until golden, then add to the celery onion mix with the capers and olives.

in a saucepan simmer the tomatoes, vinegar and sugar for 15 minutes. stir in the eggplant mixture and pine nuts.

sardines
fire up grill until coals are white (or, if using a gas grill, set to medium heat). lightly salt sardines and let them sit for 10 minutes while grill is heating up. wipe salt off fish and lightly brush with olive oil. place fish on clean, oiled grill and grill for 4 minutes a side or until fish is just opaque at the bone.

to serve, spoon caponata (room temperature is ok) onto plates and place sardines on top.