Cheap eats for the home cook

This isn't a recipe. But I only have three minutes ticking on my internet time for today and this blog entry on the NYTimes caught my eye: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/29/healthy-foods-for-under-1/?em.

Fried fresh sardines

Ok, so this is really too simple to be called a recipe, but it's a really nice dinner. It does require access to fresh sardines which may be difficult depending on where in the world you are, but here they are a cheap and delicious (and healthy) fish.

So, I had two whole (cleaned) sardines - large ones, about 1/4 pound each. I dipped them in flour, salt, and I coarsly chopped a garlic clove each, crushed the cloves a little with the side of my knife, and put them in the stomach cavities. Heat a little olive oil in a pan, and fry for about 6-7 minutes on each side, until the flour turns golden brown. Remove the garlic before eating (it will still be mostly raw and will overpower the fish if you bite into it). Enjoy.

First Lunch of the Blog

two slices of Bread Alone whole wheat sourdough toast, drizzled w/ extra-virgin olive oil
smoked sardines packed in olive oil (from Trader Joe's)
a cut-up persimmon
a couple squares of dark chocolate


Sardines are one of my favorite foods lately. They're cheap ($1-$2 per can) and full of healthy fat (esp. if you get them in olive oil), protein, and calcium (from those crunchy little bones). And since they're small fish near the bottom of the food chain you don't have to worry so much about mercury. And they are tasty! Well, if you like fish.