This is a dish to transport you to the Italian Riviera—the freshest sardines, simply grilled, splashed with lemon, briny olives, and the sweet anise flavor of the season’s first fennel. This is also finger food, so get out a big stack of napkins and don’t eat them with those who are excessively dainty. They don’t deserve them anyway. It would play into the whole relaxed-by-the-sea thing if you have your fishmonger scale and clean the sardines.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　2 heads baby fennel

　　1/2 cup pitted Taggiasca olives, halved

　　1/4 cup salt-packed capers, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained

　　Juice of 2 lemons (about 1/4 cup)

　　1/4 cup lightly packed fresh parsley leaves

　　12 fresh sardines, scaled and gutted

　　1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

　　

Step 1

Trim the root ends of the fennel and peel them with a vegetable peeler. Slice crosswise as thinly as possible. Combine the fennel with the olives, capers, lemon juice, and parsley and allow to marinate while you prepare the sardines.

　　

Step 2

Preheat the grill on high. Brush the sardines with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place on a hot grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the flesh easily pulls away from the bones. Divide the sardines among 4 plates and spoon the relish over the top, along with any accumulated juices.

　　Ethan Stowell's New Italian Kitchen