This homemade Spanish Style Bangus sardines features bangus (milkfish) that is simmered in perfectly seasoned sauce from a healthy olive oil.
Must try fish recipes; fish fillets and sweet and sour tilapia.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- It is simmer in a flavorful sauce with various spices. This marinade imparts a rich and savoury taste to the fish.
- Easy to make with a few ingredients needed.
- Features aromatic spices from the peppercorns and bayleaves.
- Perfect for lunch or dinner ideas.
What is Spanish Style Sardines
Spanish-style bangus sardines is a popular dish in the Philippines that involves in preserving bangus (milkfish) in healthy oil with some aromatic spices. This cooking method is influenced by Spanish techniques that is embraced in Filipino cuisine.
Without Pressure Cooker
No pressure cooker/instant pot? No worries! You can absolutely cook spanish bangus in stove top. However, here are the things you keep in mind.
Stovetop cooking takes more time compare to using a pressure cooker.
It also requires monitoring to prevent from burning or overcooking.
Also, when you cook bangus using stovetop, the bones remain harder and less palatable compared to pressure cooker. So, I suggest you use boneless bangus if using a stovetop.
Ingredients Needed
Here are the ingredients for Homemade Spanish-style sardines.
- Bangus (Milk fish): I used 1 whole fish.
- Olive Oil: Use good quality olive oil for best results. I never used vegetable oil for this recipe.
- Carrots: 1 large carrots, peeled and florets.
- Olives: You can use green olives or black olives.
- Gherkins sweet pickles: It adds sweet flavour to the dish.
- Garlic: 1 whole head, peeled and crushed.
- Peppercorn and bayleaves: For aroma and herbal flavour.
- Thai Chili Peppers: Red chillies or green chili pepper for mild spicy taste.
- Salt: For seasoning.
- Oyster sauce: About 1 tablespoon for umami flavour.
Please see complete recipe for bangus sardines in the recipe card below.
Instructions
- First, make sure the bangus is thoroughly clean and gutted. Slice bangus into preferred sizes.
- In a bowl, add water and stir in rock salt until dissolves. Add bangus slices and let it sit for about 30 minutes.
- Arrange carrots, bay leaves and garlic in a pot. Arrange bangus over the veggies.
- Add remaining carrots, garlic and bayleaves. Add olives, pickles, peppercorns, red chili peppers, olive oil, water and oyster sauce. Season with salt.
- Cover and simmer in low heat for 2 hours until the sauce has reduced.
- Served this Spanish-style sardines bangus with rice and enjoy!
Storing & Serving
Once cooled, transfer spanish bangus to a sterilized jar and cover. Store in a cool place up to 3 weeks.
Spanish Bangus recipe is perfect with steamed rice.
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Recipe
Spanish Style Bangus Sardines in Olive Oil
Ingredients
- 1 large bangus cleaned, gutted, and cut into serving portions but leaving scales intact
- 1 large carrots peeled and cut into florets
- 1 head garlic peeled and crushed
- 12 pieces dried bay leaves
- ¼ cup olives pitted
- ⅓ cup sweet gherkins pickles sliced
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 4 pieces red chili peppers
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
Soak
- 5 cups water
- ¼ cup rock salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 5 cups of cold water and ¼ cup rock salt. Stir until salt is dissolved. Add bangus slices and soak for 30 minutes. Drain well, discarding liquid.
- In a pot, layer carrots, garlic and bayleaves at the bottom. Arrange bangus slices on top. Add another layer of carrots and aromatics before adding a layer of bangus.
- Evenly distribute the olives, sweet gherkins pickles, black peppercorns, oyster sauce and olive oil. Add about 2 cups of water. Season with salt.
- Cover the pot and simmer for 2 hours or until the sauce has reduced.
- Serve with steamed rice and enjoy!
Notes
- Stovetop cooking takes more time compare to pressure cooker.
- It also requires monitoring to prevent from burning or overcooking.
- Also, when you cook bangus using stovetop, the bones remain harder and less palatable compared to pressure cooker. So, I suggest you use boneless bangus if using a stovetop.
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