Sicily Lesson #4

Sicily Lesson #4: Sardines scream when you gut them.

I finally learned how to clean sardines from the master, Giovanna. We clean them together and she is still twice as fast as me, literally cleaning two for every one of mine and hers are still better. We pinch off the head, scoop out the guts, rinse, butterfly, remove the spine, and small fins, then rinse again. I'm getting pretty quick but there's no catching Giova. 
 
We cook with sarde (sardines) all the time here in Sicily. Sardines are probably the most common fish used here with anchovies and pesce spada (swordfish) trailing closely behind. Here are some of the sarde dishes we have been making.
 
Sarde Allinguate: vinegar marinated fried sardines
Sushi Sarde: cured sardines in lemon juice, olive oil, and oregano
Pasta con le Sarde: pasta with wild fennel, sardines, pine nuts, and currants
Sarde Beccafico: baked sardines stuffed with breadcrumbs and pine nuts
 
During my stage at the Anna Tasca Lanza cooking school in Sicily, I am so fortunate to have an amazing role between my boss and the staff that helps out in the kitchen and on the property. It's a very Upstairs, Downstairs sort of experience. I am lucky enough to learn the basic, homecook, rustic, peasant, true Siciliana cooking from Giovanna and the more refined, professional cooking from my boss Fabrizia. When I arrived at the school, I spent nearly two weeks with just the people who work here and don't speak a word of English. It was a very important time in my training being able to learn from them and get to know the two families who live here.

The Mediterranean is famous for their sardines in Sicilia and Sardegna. Traditionally a sardine symbolizes the feeling of being suffocated and trapped. Just like those ones you all know that are packed into cans. I had a point in the last few years when I felt like this little fish, trapped and trying to hold everything inside and now I'm the one breaking free. It's a very good feeling. Sicily is such a magical place and I feel like I'm learning a lot more than cooking while being here for a few months.