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Writer's pictureDario Guerreiro

The Can of Food That Makes Dinner Parties Delicious, Easy, and Insanely Fast


Throw a Canned Fish Party

Of course, a tinned fish party requires a little more effort than that simple squeeze of lemon and dash of salt. So I asked the Epicurious Test Kitchen to indulge my sardine habit and develop a few salads that could be spooned right on top of the tins. They complied and came up with three toppings, each with its own character but all with enough acidity to cut through the fish's intensity. These were developed for sardines, mussels and octopus (polpo), though they will work with a good oil-packed tuna, too. (Anchovies could also work, but you'll want to take down the salt in the salads.)

Throwing your tinned fish party is as easy as popping open some tins (two per person will get you through the night, maybe with a few tins leftover), topping some tins with a few spoonfuls of salad and serving the extra in bowls on the side. Put out a ton of bread and a big, bracing bowl of bitter greens and start pouring drinks. Wine is how you begin a tinned fish party; iced vodka is how you end it.


3 Tinned Fish Toppers

Olive, Orange, and Egg

Combine diced segments of 1 medium orange, 6 pitted and diced Castelvetrano olives, and 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil in a medium bowl. Just before serving, gently stir in 1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves and 1 diced hard-boiled egg. Makes about 1 cup.

Smoky Tomato and Almond

Toast 3/4 cup slivered almonds in a medium skillet over low heat until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in 1/3 cup diced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, plus 1/4 cup of the oil from the jar. Add 1 tsp. smoked Spanish paprika, 2 finely diced garlic cloves, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and stir to combine. Makes about 1 cup.

Spicy Mint and Red Onion

Combine 2 Tbsp. finely diced red onion, 1 seeded and finely diced serrano chile, 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt in a medium bowl. Just before serving, gently stir in 1 cup thinly sliced mint leaves and 1 finely diced medium radish. Makes about 1 cup.


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