Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
LATIN NAME
Sprattus sprattus
ALSO KNOWN AS
Brisling
SEASONALITY
Avoid spring and summer, particularly May and June when spawning
HABITAT
Found all around the British Isles, also as far north as the Baltic, as far south as North Africa, and in the Mediterranean
MCS RATING
2–4
REC MINIMUM SIZE
8cm
SOURCING
Delicious, easy to cook and dripping with omega-3 oils, sprats are a gift from the sea. They are also a crucial link at the base of the marine food chain, preyed upon by many other creatures – piscine, mammal and avian – so it’s vital we don’t deplete their stocks.
Sprats are a migratory species that moves to our inshore waters in autumn in search of food. On beaches along the south coast, vast shoals of these glimmering creatures sometimes find themselves caught in the thrashing tide, chased by other fish, by gulls, by the sea itself and driven towards the shore. Occasionally they may even be thrown ashore by the waves, left fluttering on the beach, easy prey for any opportunist. On several occasions, I have managed to bag a supper of these tasty, fishy morsels with no more effort than it takes to bend down and pick them up off the Dorset shingle.
That’s not the only way to catch a sprat of course. These tiny shoaling creatures are easy to scoop up in nets – of varying types and sizes. In the North Sea, large quantities are taken by industrial vessels and turned into fishmeal and oil (both used in salmon farming). The sprats you find on the fishmonger’s counter are more likely to come from small boats taking advantage of the seasonal influx. But both kinds of fishing should continue with caution. As very fast-growing little creatures, sprats are good at replacing themselves – but any species can be overfished if we are greedy. North Sea sprats are doing well at the moment and are still the best choice but look for those caught by seine nets, mid-water trawlers or, ideally, small inshore boats. And avoid whitebait, which is generally comprised largely or entirely of baby sprats.
Sprats are generally sold whole, guts and all, but they take little time to prepare (see next recipe). Like all oily fish, they respond beautifully to searing heat. I usually grill or barbecue sprats, or fling them into a very hot frying pan. They need no more flavouring than salt and pepper, though a few hot spices thrown into the mix can be good too. Cook seasoned sprats under a hot grill for about 2 minutes each side until the skin is browned and the juices bubbling; or cram them on to barbecue skewers in silvery ranks, oil and salt them, then grill over charcoal to blistered perfection. You can also bake sprats in the top of a hot oven for 8–10 minutes. Give them a good squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle more salt and eat straight away, with your fingers.
GRILLED SPRATS WITH HARISSA DRESSING
Bathed with a slightly sweet, spicy dressing then grilled until blistered and brown, these sprats are irresistible. Sardines are also fantastic grilled with this dressing. Serves 6
1kg sprats (at least 10 per person)
Sea salt and black pepper
FOR THE HARISSA DRESSING
2 tbsp harissa paste
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
4 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
TO FINISH
A little lemon or lime juice
Chopped coriander (optional)
To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Holding a sprat in one hand, use scissors to cut away a strip, about 5mm wide along the belly, from the tail to the gills. Pull this away then hold the fish, head down, under a running cold tap. Use your thumb to push out the guts, rinsing as you go. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and pat dry. Repeat with the remaining sprats.
Preheat the grill to high. Lay a piece of foil over a large grill pan, oil it lightly and lay out the sprats in a single layer. Brush them with about one-third of the harissa dressing, then season with salt and pepper. Slide under the hot grill. Cook for a couple of minutes until brown and blistered then turn over, brush with more dressing and cook the second side for another 2 minutes or so.
Serve straight away, with the remaining dressing, spritzed with a little lemon or lime juice and sprinkled with chopped coriander, if you have some. Crisp salad leaves and waxy potatoes are good on the side.