- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- 50g/1¾oz brown crab meat, passed through a sieve
- ½ red chilli, finely chopped
- ½ garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 small tsp Dijon mustard
- 100ml/3½fl oz extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- lemon juice, to taste
- 4 tsp buttermilk
- ½ small bunch coriander, finely chopped
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 50g/1¾oz sesame seeds
- 50g/1¾oz pistachio nuts
- 10g/¼oz nigella seeds
- 5g cumin seeds
- 25g/1oz coriander seeds
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 8 large sardines, scaled, butterflied and tails left in tact
- 2 small Little Gem lettuce, cut into 4 lengthwise
- ½ tsp sumac spice mix
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- ½ lemon, juice only
- sprigs of fennel herb
- For the crab mayonnaise, put the egg yolk, crab, chilli, garlic and mustard in a bowl and whisk to combine. Mix the olive oil and vegetable oil in a jug. Slowly pour the oil into the bowl in a thin stream, whisking all the time until emulsified. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Then stir in the buttermilk and chopped coriander. Set aside.
- For the dukka, put the seeds and nuts in a dry frying pan and place over a medium heat. Cook carefully until the spices become fragrant and the nuts start to release their natural oils. Transfer everything to a pestle and mortar and pummel to a rough paste along with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- To cook the sardines, preheat the grill to a high heat.
- Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the sardines and Baby Gem quarters and then season with salt, black pepper, sumac and chilli flakes.
- Grill the Little Gem on all sides for about 2 minutes until lightly charred and softened Carefully lay the sardines skin-side up and cook for 2 minutes before flipping and cooking briefly on the flesh side. The sardines should be nicely charred and still a little pink inside. Squeeze some lemon juice over the sardines and lettuce.
- To serve, spoon a circle of mayonnaise on a plate and then arrange the sardines and Baby Gem quarters on top followed by the dukka and some sprigs of fennel herb.