by Syd Pemberton

12 whole sardines, gutted and cleaned

1/4 cup plain flour mixed with 1/4 cup coarse semolina

Salt & Pepper

Olive oil for cooking

Lemon wedges to serve

Caponata

Extra virgin olive oil

1 large eggplant (500g) cut into 2cm pieces

1 Spanish onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 red and 1 yellow capsicum, chopped into 2cm pieces

2 sticks celery, chopped

400gms can of tomatoes

2 tbls red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

1 tbls rinsed salt packed capers

2 tbls currants

1/2 cup chopped flat leafed parsley

Heat about 1/4 cup of oil in a large fry pan, add eggplant and cook over high heat until browned. Remove from pan.

Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to pan and cook onion, capsicum and celery over medium heat until onion is soft.

Add garlic, tomatoes, vinegar and sugar.  Season to taste and cook over medium heat about 10 minutes until tomatoes are reduced and pulpy.  Stir in eggplant, olives, capers and currants and simmer another 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat, check for seasoning and cool. Stir in the parsley.

Too cook sardines, mix flour and semolina together and season.  Coat sardines on both sides with the four mixture.

Oil the barbecue plate or griddle and cook sardines in batches on both sides until cooked through - about 2 or 3 minutes each side.

Serve caponata topped with a few rocket leaves with sardines and lemon wedges.