sardines

Intense flavour, melting texture. Improve with age. Shimmers of silver skin. Ortiz buy their sardines at auction houses (lonjas) on the north coast of Spain. The fish are carefully beheaded and gutted by hand before being washed and prepared for cooking. They are briefly fried in oil before being tinned in olive oil. A la antigua describes those products on which the silver skin is kept on the fish.

Caught and processed on the same day for optimum freshness. Lightly fried in oil. Buttery and tender. These premium sardines are sourced daily from northern Spain’s coastal auction houses and tinned just hours after being caught. Hand-cleaned, lightly fried, and preserved in olive oil, they develop a rich depth of flavour during a four-month marination. With a melting, buttery texture and intensely savoury taste, they’re perfect for tapas platters, artisan sandwiches, or served on toasted bread with piquillo peppers.