This polenta, sardines and Parmesan paired with a beautiful garlic sauce is such a winner in my little circle of garlic lovers starting with my two little Dra’culea’s ?- and for those who don’t know my maiden name is Culea - still use it sometimes as I quite like it. Ha Ha. It sounds a little like I am Dracula’s cousin, lol.
So, yeah, as I was saying, who doesn't love a good old pan fried fillet of fish, but combined with a beautiful and cooked to perfection polenta, a good indulgent sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and the garlic sauce- a combo that is difficult to match - it's just the ultimate. It's actually way too good to be able to even express in words. Maybe just few sounds like hmm, mmmm...ohh, yeahhh and that’s all.
Polenta....
Okay, let me put it this way, if I ever ask kids and I give them options, for a dinner in particular and I say, ok kiddos, choose between A..., B..., C..., D..., E which is polenta with whatever (meat or fish), F... or G...guess what... . My lovely kiddos don’t hear anything before or after option E. All I get shouted back with masses of excitement is always without fail, POLENTA!!
Just to perhaps explain where my kids have the genes from .... Well, as a kid myself, I used to love polenta very much, especially combined with with any fried meat, fish, cheese or creme fraiche or smantana as we call it.
Get ready here... just to show how much I loved polenta - I must reveal this- I used to have any leftover cold polenta with strawberry jam! Yes, you read it correctly, with jam!
As a matter of fact, I used to love it so much and eat with such an appetite that even my grandma became a convinced cold polenta with strawberry jam convert. LOL
Coming back to my kids, they do know very well what they like and what they want 🙂 but their mother (aka Myself) also knows, when she wants it easier, what to mention ;-)) ha ha.
Must be all my fault perhaps for making it quite often but ultimately polenta is very healthy, right?
What is polenta?
For those that don’t really know what polenta is ( yes, I’ve met quite a few people that never heard of it), polenta is cornmeal made very simply from a coarse corn flour and water (boiling water) with a bit of salt.
That's it! Nothing exciting you may say but I won't agree. It’s excintingly delicious particularly if combined with the right ingredients.
Combo options are great, particularly paired with fish like those sardine fillets but try any other fish or meat, cheese or pan fried garlicky mushrooms one of the top recipes in my collection.
Beautiful **Polenta** !!
I remember as a kid we used to eat a lot of bread but the polenta was always very special for us the children and somehow my kids seem to fell the same way.
It’s fairly unique when combined with:
- any pan fried meat or something that has either
- any tomato or a creamy base sauce
- loads of cream or cheese or
- simply served with eggs and cheese and a bit of butter.
Oh all these options are only going to make me shout out everything at superlative!
Fish types and options to pair with polenta:
Flavour wise all these fish works a treat:
Mild, medium and full flavoured fish, I have tried all and it is just beautiful as long as it is not poached 😉 ha ha.
Mild: tilapia, sole, cod, perch, catfish, halibut, walleye - generally white fish that doesn’t really taste like fish so they can have flavours added to them (a garlic sauce is the best;-) )
Medium: snapper, swordfish, trout, yellowtail also known as kampachi, grouper - these are fish that could have some flavour added to them but they have a little more flavour.
Full: tuna, sardines, anchovies, salmon, bluefish, mackerel, herrings - all the fish that I eat regularly, that really tastes fishy and are full of flavour. These are the oily fish and probably the healthiest fish to eat.
I do like fish and we try to have it at least once a week. All the above mentioned fish pair beautifully with polenta especially if panfried with a little oil or butter.
For other recipes and/or ideas containing polenta that you may want to try, check out my grilled veggies polenta chicken or the chicken mushroom with polenta.
All seriously delicious dishes and I am being very modest here.
Okay then, let's just get cooking. It’s quick n' so yummy!
Simple sardine fillets and polenta with Parmesan cheese and garlic sauce
Ingredients
- 16 sardine fillets fresh or frozen
- 1 tsp salt to sprinkle on fish
- 2-3 tbsp cooking olive oil or butter
For the polenta:
- 720 ml water
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 180 g cornmeal fine or coarse
- 3 tbsp butter optional
- 4 tbsp Parmesan cheese optional
For the garlic sauce:
- 4-6 cloves garlic made into a paste
- 75 ml water
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2-3 sprigs fresh herbs (dill or parsley) to garnish
Instructions
- Start by making sure your fish fillets are ready. If fish comes from frozen, take out of the freezer and thaw overnight in the fridge or placed in cold water for about 20 mins- 1 hour before cooking it. Since this it will be fried it has to be fairly dry so pat dry with kitchen towel and then salt lightly and set aside.
- Let's prepare the garlic sauce now which has to be ready when the fish and the polenta are already so the dish can be served hot immediately. And for this we need to peel and chop the garlic and place into the mortar with a generous pinch of sea salt. Make this into a paste, add the water and the vinegar and it's all good to go.
- Meanwhile start cooking the polenta, and for this you have to boil the water in a castiron or nonstick pot and add the salt. When the water begins to simmer, add slowly the cornmeal, whisking energetically to avoid lumps. The polenta will start thickening fairly quickly. You will have to keep whisking or stirring fairly often. It may form a crust which is not an issue. In the last minute of cooking stir in the butter and the Parmesan cheese if you choose to use or any other shredded cheese you may like and prefer. Mix until melted and well incorporated.
- While the polenta is cooking place a nonstick frying pan on medium heat, add some oil or butter and fry the slightly salted fish fillets. Fry as many as you can fit it in the pan 4-6 at once for about 3 min on each side and then take out on a plate. Repeat with the remainder of the fish fillets until all done.
- Once the polenta is ready, dish into four plates, place the pan fried sardine fillets over the soft polenta and drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons of garlic sauce. Tuck in and fully enjoy. Feel totally free to add some more grated cheese over or even some 1-2 tbsp of yoghurt- a nice full fat Greek style yoghurt or creme fraiche.
Notes
To paste the garlic I’m using a Mortar and pestle (I am using this mortar). If you prefer your polenta to be denser, pour it into a dish, let it cool slightly for 10-15 mins and then cut/serve into chunks. But for a softer one which is my all time favourite, you will need to serve it scooped out immediately before it has hardened and top it up with these beautiful sardine fillets perfectly panfried and a beautiful garlic sauce. It can be a little tricky with the polenta to get it to the right texture and this is because it really depends on the cornflour/cornmeal as some ‘swallow' more water than others. You can always juggle with the water or the cornflour amounts. Don't panic! If you want it in a denser texture add more flour, and if it turned out denser than your liking then add some more boiling water (from a kettle) till you get it the right texture. It is all a learning process don’t worry. I don’t always get it the way I want it every time. This is also because there are so many types on the market and some are more starchy than others. One thing is certainn. the more you will be cooking it, the better will get. Just juggle with either water or the polenta flour till’s perfecto! ? Of course my suggestion would be if you do not like the garlic sauce then feel free to sprinkle with an indulgent amount of grated or shaved Parmesan cheese or any other cheese that you would like such a nice mature cheddar. I tell you what.... I LOVE it with feta cheese too. A lot 😉 I do both though as I can not give up on either the cheese nor the garlic. HA HA. Oh, I feel like dancing with joy already and yes I might need to hit the gym after so much cheese but... who cares, I’ll do whatever but cut any corners/cheese amounts on this dish. No wayyyy!! ;-)) Enjoy this delicious dish with a nice sea bass, makerel, sea bream, cod, fillet instead of sardines or whatever fish you prefer! Make it nice and crisp and it will be heaven.Yum!
Caroline says
I love fresh sardines when they are in season, brings back memories of trips as a child. I've not had with polenta, though, should give it a try.
Ramona says
Thank you Caroline,
They’re so delicious. This dish definitely brings memories back to me too - it’s a must try for sure, you’ll love it.
Ramona ?
Pam Greer says
I'm with your children, I love polenta! I usually top it with meaty dishes, I'm going to have to try it with sardines!!
melve says
I really can't resist cheese. I would love to try this with feta cheese. Thanks for sharing.
Ramona says
Hi Malve,
Feta cheese would also work very well with polenta - give it a try - you would love that 😉
Brian Jones says
I love polenta... It is a relatively 'new' addition to my food, growing up in the UK in the 1970's and 80's it was never heard of. I guess I added it to my diet in the late 90's and now love it, my wife whinges at me all summer for not making it enough and longs for the winter nights when I use it all of the time!
Anyway, I love this recipe, it sounds heavenly, sardines would be consumed much more frequently if they were more readily available here in landlocked Hungary 🙁
Ramona says
Hi Brian,
I totally get you. Polenta is soo lovely. My kids would eat tonnes of it. It’s a lot healthier than bread so I choose to make it quite often. It’s great. Thank you so much and I’m definitely on your wife’s side here ??.
Susan says
Oooh... the flavors in this dish sound delish! Garlic sauce, creamy polenta and the fish??? YUM!!!
Ramona says
Than you Susan, it is really good indeed. Have a wonderful weekend dear!
Patty says
I'm like your kids with polenta Ramona, really love it and make it very often, never made it with fish though, I have no idea why but seeing your wonderful pictures I know I'll have to try it with those delicious sardines and garlicky sauce, what a feast!
Ramona says
Ha ha , thank you dear Patty, yes they are such polenta lovers - they would have it with almost anything, but this combo is definitely a winner!
Corina Blum says
I love sardines. They are such delicious little fish and the garlic sauce with them sounds so tasty!
Ramona says
Thank you Corina, sardines are good, easy to get hold of and apparently one of the top on fish list to have. They are so so good with the polenta and the garlic, must try 😉
Beth Neels says
I haven't found sardine fillets this large! The only ones I have seen here are smoked and canned! I would love to try them like this! This recipe looks amazing! I will look at our local restaurant supply store ! Yummy!
Ramona says
Hi Beth,
I buy them sometimes ready filleted (mostly frozen) but most of the times I get the fresh sardines and debone them myself. It is one of the easiest thing to do. You just have to take the spine off and forget about the little bones as once you fry the fish those are perfectly ok to eat. It is more or less the whole sardine deboned. It is delicious, and that garlic sauce.....OMG !
Julie says
Oh my! I bet this tastes amazing. Polenta is such a great base for a tasty dish like this. Can't wait to try.
Ramona says
Thanks Julie, indeed! It is soo good!
Michelle says
I've been looking for recipes to cook polenta. I've only ever had it in restaurants and love it. This recipe has so much flavor. I can't wait to try it.
Ramona says
Thankyou Michelle,
I cook polenta very often, there are a few ways to make it but it is a very easy to make side dish so I totally recommend it.
Erika says
This looks amazing and flavorful!
Ramona says
Thank you Erika 😉
Ramona says
Thanks Erika 😉
Pavani says
That is such a fun post Ramona - loved reading it and learning about your love for polenta and fish. I rarely cook polenta, but now I want to try it right away 🙂
Ramona says
Aw, thank you dear Pavani, I do love the combo - it is perfection if you ask me 😉
Swathi says
I like this kind of simple comfort meal to cook nowadays. i need to get some canned sardine fillets to make this .Yours looks delicious
Ramona says
Any fresh or frozen fish fillets will work with this perfectly dear Swathi. Canned fish too but it is not the same with fresh panfried fish 😉 Enjoy and let me know how you liked it.
Natalie says
I absolutely love this recipe. Polenta is something I haven't prepare in ages. I will definitely put this recipe on my list to give it a try. Delicious!
Ramona says
Thank you Natalie, definitely time to make some then. Keep safe!
Roger says
Wow, this looks and tastes so good! I never thought I could dare and have raw garlic. I am so glad I did try though. Delicious combination.
Pretty pictures too.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful and healthy recipe, Ramona
Ramona says
Thank you so much Roger - I ate this as a kid and every time was such an enjoyable meal, I am so glad you gave the raw garlic a try 😉
Soggy P says
So good! I may be a tad biased though as I love sardines! Hehe, added fresh fennel, radish & juice of a mandarin to garlic sauce for some extra flavor, all over yummy dinner, will cook again!
nancy says
thanks for sharing how to cook polenta. I never tried yet but this seems easy!
Megan Ellam says
I am going to try this next week. I promise to try it before I add some chilli too. 🤣
Ramona says
😉 Thank you lovely!
Marcellina says
Being Italian, I adore polenta but usually eat it with a tomato based sauce. And fried leftover polenta is an absolute treat! But I have never had polenta with fried foods like these sardines. I will have to change that and try your recipe - it looks amazing. The garlic sauce is genius!
Ramona says
Thank you so much dear Marcellina, I am sure you will love the polenta with the fried foods too, it is just divine and yes, the garlic is plain awesomeness!
Julia says
Wow, the sardines on the polenta was such a delicious mix, a bit salty and a bit creamy - great textures!
Winston says
This polenta and sardines dish, omg! It was truly outstanding!!
Thanks for this!