Cornish-style sardines with salsa verdi

This is a Cornwall-inspired recipe, ideal for the end of summer. Makes a great light supper (or without the spuds, a nice starter). The cider vinegar in the salsa helps with the Cornish feel of it!

Serves two

Four sardines, filleted and split
Two medium size baking potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
Half a red onion, finely chopped
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Olive oil
Lemon wedges to serve

For the salsa verdi:
2 tbs cornichons, chopped
1 tbs capers, chopped
2 tbs flat leaf parsley, chopped
Half a red onion, finely chopped
1 tbs cider vinegar
1 tbs olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Parboil the potatoes for ten minutes or until tender. Drain and leave to cool a little. Place them on a baking tray with the onion, seasoning and oil. Toss together so the potatoes are coated with the seasonings and roast in a pre-heated oven (200C) for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, mix all the salsa ingredients together in a bowl. Adjust the quantities to taste.
Grill the split sardines for a couple of minutes each side, and arrange on warmed plates with the potatoes and a big spoonful of the salsa. Serve with a lemon wedge and the rest of the salsa to hand.

Goes well with a glass of chilled Cornish cider, on a late summer's evening.

Chunky potato wedges

These are great with the seared tuna steak (posted a while back) and some nice tangy salsa.
Serves 4 hungry people as a side

4 large baking potatoes, washed
several lugs of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
(if you're doing the seared tuna thing, use some of the tuna spice rub on these spuds!)

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Place your potatoes in it, and parboil them, skins on for about ten to fifteen minutes. Doing them in the skins keeps all that lovely earthy potato flavour locked in. Carefully lift them out, pat dry with some kitchen towel and cut them into big chunky wedges – cut lengthways you'll probably get eight wedges out of each. Pre-heat an oven to 200C.
Lay the wedges (standing up, ideally) on a baking tray and rub them all over with the oil, salt and pepper (and a big pinch of the tuna rub mixture if you like). Roast them for about 25 minutes or until golden brown, giving a shake about from time to time.

Also good as a snack with ketchup, or good homemade mayo.