Lemon & Smoked Sardine Rillettes
with Fried Capers
If you’re looking for an effortlessly elegant holiday appetizer, these Lemon & Smoked Sardine Rillettes are the move. They take less than 15 minutes to make, lean on tinned sardines for big, bright, briny flavor, and taste like something you’d serve at a chic Parisian wine bar. The texture is silky, the citrus keeps everything lifted, and it’s the kind of spread people hover around at every holiday party, from Feast of the Seven Fishes to New Year’s Eve. Serve with crispy crostini, fried capers, and a little lemon zest, and watch it disappear.
Ingredients
2 TBSP capers, drained
2 4.23oz tins sardines packed in olive oil (I used BELA lemon & smoke sardines)
¼ cup butter, at room temperature
¼ cup creme fraiche
½ tsp Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
2 TBSP thinly sliced chives, plus more for garnish
2 TBSP finely chopped dill, plus more for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Pat capers very dry with paper towels. When oil is hot, add capers and cook until crispy, 2-3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a paper towel-lined plate.
Place sardines in a medium bowl (reserving packing oil for garnish). Flake with a fork until mostly broken up, with a few larger pieces remaining.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together butter, creme fraiche, Dijon, shallot, lemon zest, and lemon juice until smooth and fluffy.
Fold in sardines and fresh herbs. Taste and season with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if you like.
Transfer to serving dish and drizzle with reserved packing oil, more fresh herbs, and fried capers.