A completely new ingredient, at least in your own country, is a rarity. So I was delighted to discover smoked sardine fillets in M and S last week. I had no idea what to do with them but, since I needed an easy starter for an after-work dinner on Friday, I adapted this recipe. You could also make a sandwich with the same ingredients or, since the weather has just edged into proper, proper spring (hurrah!), bump up the greenery, thin the sauce with some lemon juice to make a dressing, and make a couple of small crostini per person for a full-blown salad. I can’t wait to eat these outside, on a warm, lavender-scented evening!

For four crostini
Cupboard (or things you may already have)
olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

Shopping list
red onion, ¼
crème fraîche, 3 dessertspoonsful
good bread (I used sourdough), 4 slices
smoked sardine fillets, 4
some peppery green salad, e.g. watercress or rocket, a couple of handfuls

How to
1. Peel and finely chop the red onion.
2. Mix the red onion with the crème fraîche and a little salt and pepper.
3. Rinse the green salad, drain and put on four small plates. Dress with a little salt and pepper and a splash of olive oil.
4. Toast the bread, put a slice on each plate and drizzle olive oil onto each slice.
5. Put a sardine fillet on the top of each piece of toast, spoon on some of the crème fraîche sauce and serve.