Q.E.D.: Sardine Cakes

Time for another recipe using everyone's second least-favorite fish.* Sardines, as you may know, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and high in B vitamins. So the health benefits of this wee fish abound.

Notes: A super Q.E.D. meal if ever there was one. It might take you 15 minutes if you move at a very casual pace. And it's a pantry staple to boot!

I liked making these into tiny cakes, but you could probably make two large patties if you'd rather.

If you don't have lemon dill mustard like I do, just add Dijon mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a little extra dried dill.

You can use sardines packed in oil or water, it really doesn't matter which.

This recipe can be easily doubled if you want to make more cakes. They'd be a cute appetizer (for your friends with more adventurous palates).

*I am presuming that anchovies are everyone's first least-favorite fish.

Ingredients:
1 tin wild-caught sardines
1/2 cup of Panko bread crumbs, plus more as needed
1 teaspoon dried dill
2 teaspoons lemon dill mustard
Cracked black pepper
Butter and/or olive oil for frying

Directions:

Add the sardines (plus the liquid from their tin) into a bowl. Season with dill and pepper. Mash the sardines with a fork. Add in bread crumbs and mustard a little at a time and mix with a fork until the mixture is sticky enough to form patties.

Take heaping forkfuls of the mixture and shape into small cakes. Lay the cakes on a plate and pop them in the fridge while you heat the pan.

Add enough butter and/or olive oil to the pan just to pan fry the cakes (you don't want to deep fry them). Heat it on medium-high. Once the pan is hot, take the cakes from the fridge and put them in the pan. Allow a crust to develop on one side before you flip. This will take about 4-5 minutes. Flip the cakes over (be careful, they'll be delicate) and let them brown on the other side, about 3-4 minutes.

Drain on a paper towel and serve warm.

Served here with lima beans and grits

Enjoy!