makes 6 to 8 meze servings
In the small seaside village of Skala Sikaminias, on the northern coast of Molyvos, there is a great little seafood taverna called I Mouria tou Myrivilli, “The Mulberry Tree of Myrivilis,” after a famous Greek writer who used to sit under the shade of that tree penning his novels. It was there that I met Stratis Vamianos, a local fisherman and the taverna’s cook, who was cast into the unlikely role of superhero when his efforts to save refugees from the war-torn Middle East, who washed up on the shores of the little beachfront where he works, got him nominated, together with a couple of local grandmothers who cared for the countless children on those dinghies, for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The refugee crisis, as of this writing, has more or less subsided, and Stratis is back to his favorite things: fishing and cooking. I met him for lunch at the taverna, where he prepared a sea lover’s feast, among which were his rendition of what is arguably Lesvos’s most famous seafood dish: salt-cured raw sardines. Indeed, those waters that saw so much turmoil happen to be teeming with local fish, mainly but not exclusively sardines; the Bay of Kalloni, among other coves and bays that sculpt the coastline of Lesvos, have been renowned since antiquity.
2 pounds (900 g) very fresh sardines, about 4 inches (10 cm) long, rinsed but not gutted
2 pounds (900 g) coarse sea salt
Extra-virgin Greek olive oil
Wash the sardines very well, but do not gut them.
Sprinkle a layer of coarse sea salt in container large enough to hold the sardines in one or two layers. Place the sardines in a large basin or bowl and toss gently with about 2 cups (546 g)of the sea salt. The salt should cling to the sardines’ skin like an uneven crust. Place the sardines over the salt-covered surface of the container and refrigerate for 24 hours.
The next day, remove them from the refrigerator. Taking one sardine at a time, rake over the skin with the tines of a fork to remove the skin. Discard the skin. Using the fork or a small paring knife, remove the heads. As you pull away each of the heads, the viscera will come with it. Using your index finger, wipe the small belly cavity of the sardines to remove any remaining viscera. Rinse them very well under cold running water to remove any remaining salt.
Place the skinned, salt-cured sardines in a clean container and add olive oil to cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to 1 week. Serve as is, with a little ouzo and a bevy of other great Greek mezedes!