Ingredients
Method
1.Preheat oven to 200°C.
2.In a small saucepan, combine fig and vinegar over medium heat; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat; stand 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
3.Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium; cook breadcrumbs, stirring, 5 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan.
4.Heat another 1 tbsp of oil in same cleaned pan; cook onion, stirring, 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic, rind and rosemary; cook, stirring, 1 minute or until fragrant. Remove pan from heat; stir in parsley, breadcrumbs, pine nuts, soaked figs and juice. Season to taste.
5.In a large oiled ovenproof dish, place sardines, in a single layer. Place a heaped tbsp of stuffing mixture inside each sardine cavity, fold sardines over slightly to enclose filling. Top with any remaining stuffing mixture and extra rosemary; drizzle with another 1 tbsp oil. Season. Bake 15 minutes or until sardines are just cooked.
6.Meanwhile, brush fennel and radicchio with remaining oil; season. Cook fennel slices on a grill plate (or barbecue) over medium heat 2 minutes each side or until charred lightly; transfer to a platter. Cook radicchio wedges on grill plate 1 minute each side or until charred lightly and tender. Add radicchio to fennel; drizzle with half the vincotto.
7.Drizzle sardines with remaining vincotto. Serve with fennel and radicchio.
For the breadcrumbs, it’s best to use day-old or stale bread. Italian vincotto is a condiment made from boiling down grape must (skins, seeds and stems of grapes) until thick and syrupy. It is available from selected supermarkets and delis. You can use balsamic glaze instead.
Note
