Open the Tin, Lose the Apology: Three French-ish Sardine Suppers

Somewhere between the back of the cupboard and the emergency food box, the sardine got a reputation problem. It is the tin people buy when they are being sensible and then ignore when they are being hungry. In France, this is baffling. A tin of sardines is not a last resort; it is a pantry treasure, a starter, a lunch, a thing to put on toast with a glass of something cold. It is time Britain caught up.

Why the humble tin deserves a seat at the table

Sardines are cheap, sustainable and packed with flavour. They are also, crucially, not anchovies. Anchovies are a seasoning; sardines are the main event. A good tin in olive oil has a rich, savoury, slightly mineral taste that can stand up to lemon, mustard, radishes, potatoes and butter. French cooks know this. They keep tins the way we keep baked beans, and they serve them with a confidence that says, 'Obviously.'

The trick is to buy well. Look for sardines in olive oil, not sunflower oil. Check the label for 'à l'huile d'olive' and avoid anything in a tomato sauce unless you are making a very specific 1970s joke. French brands such as Connétable, La Belle Iloise and Parmentier are excellent if you can find them. In UK supermarkets, the own-label tins from M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury's Taste the Difference are reliable, and Aldi's Specially Selected range often punches above its price. Buy two tins more than you think you need. They improve with age, within reason, and they make you look like a person who plans.

Recipe one: sardine rillettes

This is the starter that makes people say, 'Did you make this?' in a tone of mild accusation. It takes five minutes and a fork.

Serves four as a starter, or two as a greedy lunch.

• 2 tins sardines in olive oil, drained but oil reserved
• 100g soft butter, or 80g butter plus 2 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp capers, chopped
• Juice of half a lemon
• Black pepper, a little sea salt
• Chives or parsley, chopped

Mash the sardines with a fork in a bowl. Do not use a food processor; you want texture, not fish paste. Add the butter, shallot, capers, lemon juice and plenty of pepper. Mash again until spreadable but still rough. Taste and add salt only if it needs it; the sardines are salty. Add a spoonful of the reserved oil if it feels stiff. Chill for twenty minutes, then serve on toast, radishes or endive leaves. Scatter with herbs. It will keep for two days in the fridge, though it rarely lasts that long.

Recipe two: the sharp radish-and-toast situation

This is less a recipe than an arrangement, which is exactly why it works. The radish is the point: sharp, crunchy, peppery, cutting through the oily fish. Use the best butter you can bear to part with.

Serves two to four, depending on greed.

• 4 thick slices good bread
• Butter, generously
• 1 tin sardines in olive oil, drained
• A bunch of radishes, thinly sliced
• Lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper
• Optional: a few capers or a dusting of espelette pepper

Toast the bread until it is properly crisp. Butter it while hot. Lay sardines on top, then radish slices. Squeeze over lemon, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Eat immediately, standing up, with a glass of something cold. If you want to be fancy, put the radishes on the side and let people build their own. If you want to be French, do not apologise for the bones. There should not be any, but if there are, mention that they are good for you.

Recipe three: warm potato salad with sardines

This is the one to make when you want a plate of food that feels like a hug from someone who owns a sharp knife. Warm new potatoes drink up the dressing; the sardines fall apart into it; the mustard and lemon keep it bright.

Serves four as a side, or two as a main.

• 700g new potatoes, halved if large
• 2 tins sardines in olive oil, drained, oil reserved
• 1 shallot, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus reserved sardine oil
• A handful of parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp capers
• Lemon juice, salt, pepper
• Optional: a soft-boiled egg per person

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Meanwhile, whisk the mustard, vinegar, olive oil and a little reserved sardine oil in a large bowl. Add the shallot. Drain the potatoes and tip them into the dressing while still hot. Toss gently. Add the sardines in big pieces and fold them in, trying not to mash them completely. Add capers, parsley, lemon juice and pepper. Taste. Serve warm, with a soft-boiled egg on top if you are making it a main. Do not chill it; cold potato salad is a different, sadder thing.

How to serve tins for informal entertaining

Put the tins on the table with a fork and let people help themselves. Open two, not one. Add toast, butter, radishes, a lemon, cornichons and a bowl of crisps. Call it apéro if you want to sound French; call it Tuesday if you want to sound honest. The point is that a tin of sardines is not a compromise. It is a shortcut to a table that looks like someone knows what they are doing.

And if a guest turns their nose up, give them the radish-and-toast situation and say nothing. They will come round. They always do.