Boneless sardines

[morepatiencerequired]

Due to a brief over the top health bent, and pandemic buying challenges, DP insisted I buy 40 tins of boneless sardines. We don't normally eat sardines in this house. DP is now mostly vegan and I have 35 tins of sardines left to eat. How can I use hide them in meals that 3 veggie dodging kids will also eat? Bonus points if you can squirrel them into an otherwise vegan meal without everything only tasting of sardines

I should say I'm not in the uk and anything slightly out of the ordinary can be hard to buy

I would request your DP to come up with a solution. Even if he's not going to eat them. He made the decision to buy them, he needs to ensure they aren't wasted. Why is this your problem to solve?

Do you have a food donation FB page where you live? (You could always start one )
Or a food bank or similar.

Why do you have to hide them? "We don't normally eat sardines in this house" doesn't mean you can't openly start. Embrace the sardine: they are one of the healthiest and, if caught in the right place, most sustainable fish out there.

They can be added to a pasta and tomato bake, mashed up to go in sandwiches in the same way as you might tinned tuna or salmon, flaked onto a salad the same way. You can make crostini with them, or just place them on a slice of toast.

If it's the fact they look like little fish that's the problem, try making paté with them: blend with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and roast pepper and serve with bread and olives or salad garnish as an appetiser. You could do a vegan version with borlotti beans at the same time if DP is that arsed, or you could mix the two to sneak in some veg for the children.

Also worth pointing out that while 35 cans might seem a lot, at just one a fortnight they'll be gone within 18 months, well within the lifespan of a properly stored can.

Do you have a dog? Mine would think all her Christmases had come at once if she got a tin of sardines...

Maybe a cat rescue shelter place? Mine love love love sardines. Or get a cat.

I love sardines but the bones are the best part! I make spaghetti with sardines - normally fresh - but you could try this:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spaghetti-sardines

Could you make a pate with cream cheese, it might mellow the flavour a bit.

[quote Serenissima21]I love sardines but the bones are the best part! I make spaghetti with sardines - normally fresh - but you could try this:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spaghetti-sardines[/quote]
That was the recipe I tried (minus the olives which I hate)...

Fish cakes always popular with DC

Pate for the grown ups. Enjoy.

@Otherpeoplesteens

Why do you have to hide them? "We don't normally eat sardines in this house" doesn't mean you can't openly start. Embrace the sardine: they are one of the healthiest and, if caught in the right place, most sustainable fish out there.

They can be added to a pasta and tomato bake, mashed up to go in sandwiches in the same way as you might tinned tuna or salmon, flaked onto a salad the same way. You can make crostini with them, or just place them on a slice of toast.

If it's the fact they look like little fish that's the problem, try making paté with them: blend with a bit of olive oil, lemon juice and roast pepper and serve with bread and olives or salad garnish as an appetiser. You could do a vegan version with borlotti beans at the same time if DP is that arsed, or you could mix the two to sneak in some veg for the children.

Hide because DC1 is on the spectrum and will refuse to eat if he knows they're in the food. Younger DCs copy his behaviour.

I'm not a fan of the flavour myself; these ideas are great tho... something to try out and see if I can get it past the kids. If not, then we have several stray cats we feed 😁

Ah, that makes more sense OP.

I started giving fresh sardines straight off the barbecue (filleted, of course) to both DC as soon as we started weaning. My Portuguese relatives didn't bat an eyelid, but my British in-laws were agog! The strong taste doesn't seem to bother them.

Do you have dogs? Mine have a tin once a week.

My fave with tinned sardines is mixed with capers, onions, sundried tomatoes, raisins then served with linguine and toasted almonds.

@Otherpeoplesteens

Ah, that makes more sense OP.

I started giving fresh sardines straight off the barbecue (filleted, of course) to both DC as soon as we started weaning. My Portuguese relatives didn't bat an eyelid, but my British in-laws were agog! The strong taste doesn't seem to bother them.

I wish I'd thought to introduce my kids to more foods that I don't like myself; I was too busy thinking about how much I would enjoy eating their leftovers . But actually stuff like sardines and liver would be great in their diet...