SERVES 6
“Las sardinas, virgen a virgen” (“Sardines, from virgin to virgin”), goes fishermen’s wisdom on when to best catch these small, flavorful fish. While available year-round in Spain, their peak runs from the feast day of the Virgen del Carmen (July 16) to the feast day of the Virgen de la Victoria (September 8). With the sardines loaded with fats and oils, it is also the best time of year to grill them a la brasa on the beach. Across coastal Spain, and especially in Andalucía, groups gather for informal sardinadas to celebrate these tiny fish cooked over embers as their fragrant, briny smell fills the air.
Every summer, one of my father-in-law’s closest friends, Pepe García from Almería, throws a sardinada. And following the age-old tradition of granizados, drinking granitas flavored with citrus juices, he serves this granizado de apio y limón, made with celery and lemon, to refresh the palate between batches of sardines. The combination is as original as it is perfect. Prepare the granita ahead of time, as it takes some hours to freeze.
1. Prepare a grill with coals, preferably from hardwood briquettes. Be patient and let the embers burn down low. Rake them out into an even layer.
2. Do not remove the head of the sardines, nor clean, nor rinse with water. Rather, wipe them with a damp cloth. Set the sardines in a grill basket and generously season with salt flakes.
3. Once the embers are ready, set the grill basket 3 to 5 inches/7.5 to 13 cm above the coals and grill for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, depending on the sardines’ size, or until the skin is tinny and the eyes have gone white.
4. Remove the sardines from the rack, transfer them to a platter, and loosely cover with foil tented in the middle. This will keep them warm while not steaming them. Grill the remaining sardines. Serve with glasses of the granita.
MAKES 1½> QUARTS/1½> L
Pepe uses the more white-colored stalks of celery, which tend to be less bitter. Directions follow on making this in a bowl as well as in water bottles. Both methods work.
In a large pot, combine the celery and sugar and cover with 1½> quarts/1½> L water. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and boil uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Using an immersion hand blender, roughly purée the celery in the pot. Alternatively, using a food processor or blender, working in batches as needed, roughly grind it with a couple of quick pulses.
Strain the purée through a colander into a large bowl, pressing all of the liquid from the celery; discard the solids. Stir the lemon juice into the liquid. Allow the liquid to completely cool.
To freeze using a bowl: Pour the liquid into a large glass or plastic bowl. Cover tightly. Place in the freezer. When it begins to freeze, stir with a whisk. Repeat two or three times, never letting it completely freeze, until slushy, at least a couple of hours.
To freeze using plastic bottles: Place a funnel over a clean 2-quart/2-L plastic bottle (or two smaller ones) and pour in the liquid. Close tightly. Place in the freezer. When it begins to freeze, shake. Repeat two or three times, never letting it completely freeze, until slushy, at least a couple of hours.
Serve in tall glasses with straws.