Chilli Sardines on Wholemeal Bread

This is the kind of lunch that comes together while the kettle boils. Tinned sardines have been a pantry staple for a long time, partly because they keep for ages and need no cooking at all. Sardines are small oily fish, and the tinning process softens their bones so you can eat them whole, which is a fact that still surprises some people who grew up thinking of fish as something you fillet yourself.

Wholemeal bread is the right base here. Its nutty, slightly rough crumb holds up under the oil and fish without going soggy in five minutes, and it gives you something to chew, which makes a small plate feel more like a meal. If you have a loaf with seeds in it, toast it a little longer and the seeds will pick up the warmth of the chilli.

A few small habits make a big difference. Scrape the seeds out of the chilli before slicing if you want heat without a lot of fire, and keep the rings thin so each mouthful gets a bit of it rather than one hot bite. Hold back a spoonful of the oil from the tin. Trickling it over the top at the end tastes richer than the fish alone, and it stops the rocket from looking dry. Rocket wilts quickly under warm fish, so lay it on the bread just before you add the sardines.

To reuse leftovers, keep any spare sardines in a sealed container in the fridge and eat them within a day or so. They flake nicely into a bowl of leftover rice with a squeeze of lemon, or into a quick salad with sliced tomato. Opened tinned fish should never sit in its tin, so move it out as soon as you have finished.

For a lunch with more on the plate, a simple green side works well. A bowl of crunchy vegetables on the side adds freshness and a bit of bite. Something warm and comforting on a cold day also suits it, such as a bowl of soup next to the toast.

If you are building a fuller lunch, these pair naturally with what you have made here: Baked Mackerel with Herby Crumbs and Tomato Salad if you want a second oily fish, Crunchy Carrot Matchsticks for a crisp side, and Grilled courgette salad with feta and mint for something light and herby.