Tinned sardines have moved from emergency rations to dinner party centrepiece, and this simple tray of potatoes, herbs and good fish explains why in about forty minutes.
Before you start
Nothing in this recipe is difficult, but the order matters. Get your onions going first and give them longer than seems reasonable. Most of the flavour in this dish comes from the patience you show in the first fifteen minutes, when nothing appears to be happening at all.
Good tinned fish is the most honest luxury in the supermarket.
Method
Season as you go, and taste more often than feels necessary. If it seems flat at the end, it almost certainly needs acid rather than salt: a squeeze of lemon or a spoonful of vinegar will wake everything up in a way that is frankly a bit theatrical.
If you have time left over
This keeps beautifully for three days in the fridge and improves on the second, when the flavours have had time to settle their differences. Reheat gently with a splash of water, and be prepared to defend your portion from anyone who drifts past the kitchen.
Swap freely. The method matters far more than the shopping list, and it will happily take whatever greens are collapsing at the bottom of your fridge. A recipe, as our test kitchen likes to say, is simply a suggestion from someone who has already made your mistakes.
