Many a cooking trick is foolproof to lift a dish. Whether your mother, grandmother, or a renowned chef tells you about it, it’s worth paying attention because you might need them when you least expect. And today, in particular, we’re focusing on one of those tricks that we all should learn because it’s incredibly practical. To picture it, imagine the Mediterranean kitchen treasure that is the sardine. Whether as sardine pâté, a healthy sardine sandwich, or simply grilled, the sardine is one of the most commonly consumed oily fish in Spain.
But it also has a downside for many: the smell it leaves in the kitchen and, if you’re not careful, it spreads to the rest of the house, including the stairs and even the lift. In short, there’s no hiding that you’ve just cooked sardines. And, although they taste fantastic, spending an afternoon with that odour clinging to your nostrils isn’t ideal, nor is trying to mask it with other scents, even if you opt for natural air fresheners.
The trick to avoiding the odour of sardines
In addition to cooking with the kitchen door closed and always using the extractor fan, there’s a trick that is as curious as it is effective. It comes from Martín Berasategui, who has surprised us on several occasions with tips to boost the flavour of gazpacho, the three-turn method for roasting fish, the refreshing cucumber salad with three ingredients, or the trick for preparing stuffed aubergines.
This time he explains why that odour spreads at lightning speed, fragrance filling the space as it goes. The culprit is trimethylamine, a substance released by cooked fish. Your first impulse might be to reach for vinegar or lemon, but that’s not what you should do.
Here are the steps to follow to avoid that irritating odour:
- Clean the sardines as directed by the recipe you’re about to follow. The trick lies right here. Do not put them on the heat yet; pop to the fridge for a carton of milk. Surprised?
- Pour the milk into a baking dish and plunge the sardines into it for ten minutes. The casein and the mildly acidic pH of the milk will work their magic, neutralising the infamous trimethylamine.
- Then you simply cook them according to the recipe’s directions. By using this trick, you’ll also notice that the fish flesh has softened somewhat, giving a even more pleasant texture. Don’t hesitate—give it a go.
What to accompany sardines with?
Now that your sardines are ready and your home smells splendid, you just need to think about accompaniments. There are plenty of options, from basmati rice to potatoes you can roast in the oven at the same time. It would also pair beautifully with a good, original salad or a complete fruit salad.
And, of course, don’t forget gazpacho as the star option, whether traditional or one of its many variants. They’ll also be delicious with a generous bowl of salmorejo or even an avocado and lime crema. Who could ask for more?
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