Moroccan · Street food
Moroccan Sardine Brochettes (Street Style)
Along the coast, sardine fillets are pressed around a chermoula-spiced filling, threaded onto skewers in a coil, and grilled over charcoal until smoky. Sold from beachside grills with bread and lemon, these sardine brochettes are cheap, oily and utterly of the sea.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 16 sardine fillets, butterflied
- 1 large bunch coriander, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp chilli
- Juice of 1 lemon plus wedges
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Salt
Method
- 1
Make chermoula
Mix the coriander, garlic, cumin, paprika, chilli, lemon, oil and salt into a thick paste.
- 2
Spread
Spread a little chermoula over the flesh side of each sardine fillet.
- 3
Coil onto skewers
Roll or fold the fillets and thread them onto skewers in a tight coil, alternating direction.
- 4
Heat the grill
Get a charcoal grill or ridged pan good and hot.
- 5
Grill
Grill the brochettes 2–3 minutes a side until the sardines char and cook through.
- 6
Serve
Serve with lemon wedges and bread.
Chef's tips
- Use two parallel skewers to stop the coiled fillets spinning.
- Oil the grill bars well — sardines love to stick.
- Very fresh sardines are essential for grilling.
Frequently asked questions
How do I keep the fillets on the skewer?
Thread them in a compact coil using two parallel skewers, which holds the delicate fish steady and makes turning easy.
No skewers?
You can grill the chermoula-stuffed sardine sandwiches flat in a fish cage instead — the flavour is the same, just without the coil presentation.