The Dish: Gourmet Portuguese Smoked Sardines

L'AND Vineyards Resort sits in the Portuguese valley of Montemor-o-Novo, attracting a crowd with elevated tastes. In addition to the property's other sensational amenities, the Michelin-starred restaurant is widely known for its creative cuisine.

Related | Escape Plan: Portugal

One such dish is Executive Chef Miguel Laffan's gourmet smoked sardines with olive bread and bio tomatoes, a creation that is a work of art to the eyes and the palate. 

He has shared the recipe with us so that we may have a taste of Portugal from home:

Olive Bread

225g flour

150g butter

150g olives

105g onion

50g emmenthal cheese

9g yeast

9g dextrose

150ml eggs

120ml egg yolk

160ml cream

Pinch of salt

Add the flour with dextrose first and then the yeast and butter at room temperature. Add the eggs with the cream and mix it all in.

Pre-heat the oven at 165º

Add the olives (previously cut into small pieces) without the seeds, together with the chopped onions. Take into the oven for 12 min and then quickly remove it from the oven and let it cool down. Cut into small cubes, around 12-13 cm, depending on the size of the sardine loins.

Smoked Sardines and Salad

120g sardines

50g cherry tomatoes

20g shallots

20g red peppers

2g basil

50 ml olive oil

50 ml balsamic vinegar

30 ml vinegar

Prepare the sardine fillets and place in water with a pinch of salt for 20 min before smoking the sardines in an appropriate environment for 7 min. Further to the smoking process sprinkle each fillet with olive and quickly brase them.

Cut the cherry tomatoes into small pieces, the shallots into slices and chop the basil. Mix it all up and season with salt, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Place the sardine fillets over olive bread and accompany with bio tomatoes. Sprinkle with olive oil.