Tartines with Arugula And Grilled Sardine
(Tartine Con Arugula e Sardine Alla Griglia)
Ingredients:
12 butterflied fresh sardines or six 6-inch-long trout or branzino fillets with skin
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Six 1/3-inch-thick slices sweet onion (such as Maui or Vidalia)
Six 6-inch-long baguette slices, cut 1/2-inch thick on sharp diagonal
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
Fleur de sel*
18 arugula leaves
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
6 lemon wedges
Directions:
Place fish, skin side down, in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish.
Whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.
Spread herb mixture over fish.
Cover and chill at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
Spray grill with nonstick spray.
Preheat barbecue (medium heat).
Brush onion slices with olive oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Grill onions until just tender and slightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.
Grill bread slices until slightly charred, about 1 minute per side.
Spread 1 side of each bread slice with butter.
Sprinkle fish with fleur de sel and pepper.
Grill fish until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove bones from fish.
Place arugula in medium bowl.
Drizzle with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice and toss.
Season to taste with fleur de sel and pepper.
Arrange 3 arugula leaves atop each bread slice.
Top with grilled onions.
Top onions on each bread slice with 2 sardines or 1 trout or branzino fillet, trimming fish to fit.
Garnish with lemon wedges and serve. Makes 6 appetizer servings.