Sardinhas Assadas - grilled sardines

Sardinhas assadas are a symbol of Portuguese summer. Fresh sardines are simply salted with coarse salt and grilled whole over an open charcoal fire until the skin turns golden and begins to crisp.

They are served on a slice of rustic bread that soaks up the running juices and fat, alongside roasted peppers, an onion salad and boiled potatoes. They are inseparable from the feast of Saint Anthony celebrations in Lisbon, when the streets fill with the smell of grilled fish.

The season for the tastiest sardines runs from June to October, when the fish are at their fattiest. The secret to the flavour lies in simplicity: good fish, coarse salt and the heat of the coals.