Cold Sardine Toast
Toasted sourdough, a smear of something creamy or punchy, a tin of sardines cracked open with quiet defiance. It’s salty, bold, and emotionally complex — like you after bedtime.
Ingredients
- 2 slices sourdough or country bread toasted
- 1 tin sardines in olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or soft cheese like cream cheese or goat cheese
- 1 teaspoon capers optional, but fabulous
- A few sprigs fresh dill or parsley
- Lemon wedges for squeezing
- Flaky salt + freshly cracked black pepper to finish
Instructions
- Toast the bread until crisp and golden.
- Spread each slice with either Dijon mustard (for tang and bite) or a soft cheese (for something gentler).
- Gently layer on the sardines. Let them fall where they may — this is not the time for precision.
- Scatter on capers and fresh herbs.
- Squeeze over lemon juice, then finish with a pinch of flaky salt and black pepper.
- Eat standing up, plate in one hand, pretending you’re somewhere with sea breezes and fewer responsibilities.
Notes
Swap sardines for smoked trout or mackerel if you must — but sardines have a beautiful, unapologetic character that suits late August melancholy. Also delicious with a glass of cold white wine and zero plans.