Sardine spread & seed crackers

Watch how it’s made on Instagram

A creamy, lemony sardine spread with chives and Dijon on crisp rosemary seed crackers made without flour. I know sardines aren’t everyone’s favourite, but this might just change your mind.

• Serves 2, plus extra crackers

• Prep 15 min

• Bake 45 to 60 min

The recipe

Per serving · half the spread, 4 crackers

350 kcal · 22 g protein · 5.5 g fibre · 27 g fat

Ingredients

MetricUS

For the sardine spread

• 1 can1 tin sardines in olive oil, drained, about 4 oz120 g

• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• ½ lemon, juice and a little zest

• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

• A pinch fresh parsley, chopped

• To taste black pepper, and salt if needed

For the rosemary seed crackers

• scant ½ cup1 dl sunflower seeds

• scant ½ cup1 dl pumpkin seeds

• ¼ cup½ dl sesame seeds

• ¼ cup½ dl flaxseeds

• 1 tbsp psyllium husk

• generous ¾ cup2 dl boiling water

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tsp dried rosemary

• ½ tsp sea salt

Method

1. Heat the oven
   Heat to 300°F150°C conventional, 130°C fan and line a tray with parchment paperbaking paper.

2. Mix the crackers
   Stir all the cracker ingredients together and leave for about 10 minutes, until the mixture thickens.

3. Spread thin
   Spread it onto the tray in a thin, even layer with the back of a spoon.

4. Bake
   Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until completely dry and crisp. Let it cool, then break into about 20 pieces.

5. Make the spread
   While the crackers bake, mash everything for the spread with a fork until creamy but still with a little texture. Taste and add more lemon or pepper if it needs it.

6. Serve
   Spread onto the crackers. Keep the rest of the crackers in an airtight jar.

Make it yours

Neater crackers
Score the mixture into squares with a knife after 20 minutes in the oven, then carry on baking.

Not a sardine person yet
Use tinned mackerel or salmon. Same method.

Other herbs
Swap the rosemary for thyme, or add a teaspoon of fennel seeds.

Worth knowing

Sardines → omega-3 fats EPA and DHA, and if you buy them with the bones in, a good amount of calcium. They are small fish, so low in mercury.

Seeds → four kinds in one cracker, for fibre, magnesium and mostly unsaturated fat.

Psyllium husk → a soluble fibre that turns into a gel with water, which is what holds these together without flour.

Flaxseeds → one of the richest plant sources of omega-3 (ALA).

Tinned sardines are one of the best value foods in the supermarket. They deserve a better reputation.

Nutrition is an estimate based on standard ingredient values, rounded. Your brands will vary a little.