HARISSA SARDINE BALLS WITH TAHINI YOGHURT

Ingredients

Makes 17 balls

3 tbsp of sultanas

4 sardines tins, with bones in evoo (135g x 4) (about 16 sardines)


1 handful (10g) of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

2 tbsp (20g) of pine nuts, roughly chopped

1 large free range egg

2 tbsp of ground flax seeds

Salt and pepper to taste

Harissa sauce:

1 tbsp of tomato paste

4 tbsp of fresh harissa (not the tube paste one)


1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Tahini yoghurt:

Toppings:

Zest of 1 organic lemon

Fresh coriander

Fresh mint leaves

1/3 cup (250g) of coconut yoghurt (or full fat Greek)


1/3 cup (90g) of tahini

Juice of 1 organic lemon

1-2 garlic clove, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1) In a small bowl, soak the sultanas in hot water. In a medium/large bowl, smash the sardines with a fork, and keep the olive oil from the tins aside for later use. Drain and chop the sultanas, and add them to the sardines. Also add the mint, pine nuts, salt, pepper, egg, flax seeds and combine to the sardines.

2) In a small bowl combine all of the tahini yoghurt ingredients and set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Take a small table spoon of the sardine mixture and shape into balls (you should get 17 balls). Heat the reserved sardine oil in the skillet. Once hot, add the sardine balls and fry on each side until golden brown. Be careful they fry quickly!

3) Once the sardine balls are cooked, set them aside on a paper towel. In the same skillet add the 1/4 cup of olive oil and the tomato paste. Cook the paste for 4 min then add the harissa and stir. Add the sardine balls back in, and stir them gently to coat them with the sauce. Serve them over the tahini yogurt, and topped with lemon zest and fresh coriander and mint.