Editor’s note: The theme of Gohan Lab is to help people make simple, tasty “gohan” (meals).

* * *

Shiny sardines with plenty of fat await you in your local grocery store’s fish section.

Although the catch fell for a while, prompting some to worry that it had become a luxury fish, it is plentiful this year and affordable.

In Italy, the breaded sardine dish usually means an oven-cooked dish of whole sardines laid in a heatproof dish. This week’s recipe introduces how to cook them in a frying pan.

Since breadcrumbs burn easily, the fish is cooked slowly over very low heat. But it does not take more than five minutes to cook both sides. The garlic mixed in the breadcrumbs enhances the flavor and turns out crunchy.

Dry breadcrumbs rather than the soft type are recommended for this recipe. By frying one side without the crumbs, you can also enjoy the fresh flavor of the sardines.

If you find it difficult to fillet the fish by yourself, ask, if possible, the staff at the fish section to turn it into “sanmai oroshi,” to fillet the fish into three parts: two halves on each side of the bone, plus the backbone. The two fillets will be used in the recipe.

The remainder of the egg used in the coating should be set aside to be cooked with tomato and served as a garnish.

FATTIEST SARDINES AT ONSET OF RAINY SEASON

Japanese sardines (“maiwashi”) caught in the rainy season from now through July are called “nyubai (start of the rainy season) iwashi (sardine).” They are especially delicious because they are the fattiest of the year.

According to the Japan Fisheries Information Service Center, which offers data on fishing grounds and the market, the catch and price of Japanese sardines have been stable these last few years. Not only that, but the catch is good this year as well.

Fishing is in high season off Choshi, Chiba Prefecture, and the catches brought into Sakaiminato, Tottori Prefecture, are reportedly large in volume. Toward the summer, the fishing grounds will move north off the Pacific coast of the Tohoku region and farther north off Kushiro in Hokkaido around August.

Although the sardine is a perishable fish, improved distribution enables it to be delivered fresh. When buying sardines with the head, choose those with clear eyes.

BASIC COOKING METHOD

(Supervised by Kuniaki Arima in the cooking aspect and Midori Kasai in the cookery science aspect)

* Ingredients (Serves two)

2 medium-sized sardines (four fillets), 1 egg, 50 grams breadcrumbs, 1/4 clove grated garlic, sugar, salt, 1 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tomato, 5 grams butter

About 423 kcal and 1.4 grams salt per portion

1. Mix breadcrumbs and garlic in bowl. Lay sardine fillets on kitchen paper, skin side down and sprinkle a pinch of sugar then a pinch of salt (PHOTO A).

2. Cover skin side with coating. Spread flour on flat container. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl. Beat egg in another bowl. Coat the skin side in the following order: flour, egg, then breadcrumbs (PHOTO B).

3. Spread olive oil in frying pan, lay sardines skin side down. Place over very low heat and cook without moving fillets (PHOTO C). Turn with a turner, cook for another 2 minutes, sprinkle on a bit of salt and serve on a plate.

4. To make garnish, chop tomato. Mix a pinch each of sugar and salt in egg. Wipe frying pan with kitchen paper, place on medium heat and add butter. Spread egg and give it a mix, add tomato and wrap with egg. Serve on the side of sardines.

* * *
Kuniaki Arima is the owner-chef of Passo a Passo, an Italian restaurant in Tokyo’s Fukagawa district.

Midori Kasai is a professor at Ochanomizu University and chairwoman of the Japan Society of Cookery Science.

ARRANGED VERSION

Sardine piccata

Originating in Italy, piccata is a dish where veal slices are coated with a mixture of egg and powdered cheese and sauteed. In this recipe, miso will replace cheese for added aroma. Place an egg, 1/2 tsp miso and 1 tsp flour in a bowl and mix with a whisk. Sprinkle a pinch each of sugar and salt on the inner side of sardine fillets, coat skin side with egg mixture. Cook in the same way as the breaded and pan-fried sardines. Serve with lemon and black pepper.

COOKERY SCIENCE

Breadcrumbs come in two types: the fresh type made from loosened bread with a water content of about 35 percent and the dry type with a water content of 14 percent or less. The coarse-grained fresh type is high in oil absorbency, has a volume-increasing effect and turns out crisp. The finer dry type offers a crunchy texture. Choose whichever type you prefer.