Poor Man’s Potatoes and Sardines
I know sardines are a divisive beast. Some people grew up on them and love them. Other people hear the word and they make a face before the conversation even starts. I was honestly kind of on the fence about this until this recipe changed my mind a bit.
This meal came about during one of those “use what you have on hand” weeks when grocery shopping had to be put off for a couple more days. I had potatoes on the counter, canned sardines in the pantry, and not much desire to make anything complicated. So I chopped everything up, threw it in the slow cooker and thought worst case we’d survive dinner. But a few hours later I was completely surprised by the smell.
The onions and potatoes fell apart into this rich savory base and the sardines melted into the dish more gently than I would have thought. Everything turned warm, salty and comforting in that old fashioned pantry meal sort of way, rather than tasting too fishy.
It honestly reminded me of the kind of food someone’s grandfather would have eaten after a long day of work, decades ago. Easy ingredients. No waste. Nothing special. Just food that would be filling for people and not cost a lot of money. And somehow those meals always carry with them a certain kind of comfort.
Sometimes I make this when I want something filling and cheap and doesn’t take a lot of effort. It’s particularly good on cold evenings with a piece of bread to mop up the buttery potato juices at the bottom. If you already enjoy sardines, chances are you’ll be going back for seconds without meaning to.
Ingredients
- 5 sliced potatoes
- 2 cans sardines, drained
- 1 onion, sliced 3 tablespoons butter
- Salt and black pepper
Directions
Step 1: Layer potatoes and onions
- Layer half of the sliced potatoes on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add half the sliced onion on top.
- Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Add the fish (sardines)
- Flake the sardines over the potatoes and onions.
- They will break down whilst cooking so don’t worry about making everything look tidy.
Step 3: Fill the layers
- Top with remaining potatoes and onions.
- Dot the butter all over everything.
- Add another little dash of salt and pepper.
Step 4: Prepare
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or so.
- The potatoes should become soft and buttery, while the sardines melt into the layers below.
- At the end of cooking, the smell turns rich and savory.
Step 5: Have fun
- While hot scoop everything into bowls.
- I typically serve this with bread and a little hot sauce on the side.
Kitchen Notes Little
- Yukon Gold potatoes are especially good here, as they become creamy when cooked.
- Add garlic, if you want a more intense flavor.
- A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up.
- The best tasting parts of the potatoes are the crispy edges on the sides of the slow cooker.
Conclusion
This recipe is definitely a “humble comfort food” type recipe. It doesn’t look fancy and it doesn’t try to impress anyone. But it heats up the kitchen, turns basic ingredients into a full meal, and somehow feels comforting in a very real way. And, honestly, recipes like that deserve more love