Iwashi no shioyaki salt grilled sardines

Ingredients

• Eight 6-inch iwashi (sardines)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fine sea salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coarse salt
• soy sauce
• lemon wedges

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Preparation

• Rinse the sardines under cold running water, and pat dry. Cut open the bottom 1/4 of the belly on a cutting board, and remove the gills and intestines.
• Cut the head off the head and pull away with your knife (or leave the head on). Rinse the inside of the belly with cold water.
• Make a brine by mixing 1 quart of cold water with 1 1/2 tablespoons of fine sea salt. Rinse the fish in the brine. Pat the fish completely dry.
• Take 1/4 teaspoon or more of salt between your thumb and forefinger and press it onto the tail, gill flaps, and fins.
• And work the salt in with your fingers. This will protect these parts and give them a nice white crust when they cook. Now lightly salt the entire fish.
• Preheat the grill for high heat (this prevents the fish from sticking to the rack). Once it has heated, lightly oil the grill grate.
• Place the fish on the grill presentation side down. Grill until the skin is browned and crispy, about 3 — 4 minutes.
• With chopsticks and a rubber or wood spatula if necessary (tongs will tear the fish apart).
• Gently turn the fish over and grill the other side until done, which will take about the same amount of time. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and soy sauce.