Ingredients

Method

• For the pilchard frikkadels:
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 stick celery, finely chopped
• 1 t paprika
• 1 t Woolworths Cajun seasoning
• 1 x 400 g can pilchards in tomato sauce, bones and sauce discarded
• 120 g flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100 g Italian parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 400 g pearl barley, cooked, for serving
• For the tomato sauce:
• 2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 t cumin seeds, toasted
• 1 t coriander seeds, toasted
• 1 x 400 g can whole peeled tomatoes
• 100 g tomato paste
• 1 T honey
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 50 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• For the salsa, mix:
• 100 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 10 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1 T honey
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Ingredients

Heat the olive oil in a pan. Gently fry the onion, garlic and celery until translucent. Add the paprika and Cajun seasoning and fry for a further minute.

Place the pilchards, flour, parsley and lemon zest into a bowl. Add the fried onion mixture and combine with a spoon. Using the extra flour, roll the pilchard mixture into small balls and place on a tray while you make the
tomato sauce.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and toasted spices. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and honey and simmer over a medium heat for 10 minutes. Add a little water if the sauce gets too thick. Season to taste. Stir in the coriander just before serving. Add the pilchard frikkadels and coat in the tomato sauce.

Serve the pilchards and barley with the salsa.

Cook's note: Canned pilchards are a thing of beauty whether it’s a tight month or not. This simple recipe is as tasty as it is nostalgic for me – it reminds me of how my mom used to transform humble ingredients into delicious meals we couldn’t get enough of. It’s an affordable way to get a dose of Omega-3s and the barley bulks it up nicely.