Ingredients:
2kg Fresh Cornish sardines, cleaned and scaled
Mixed pickling spices
Bay leaves
Malt vinegar
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Method:
Season the cleaned sardines well with pepper and salt. Place a layer of the fish in an eathenware or baking dish, sprinkle with pickling spice and add two bay leaves.
Repeat the layers until the dish is full, then add the liquid — three parts vinegar to one part water — to the top of the dish, so the fish are covered. Tie down with brown paper, or use a close fitting lid (do not use foil because of the vinegar).
Bring to the boil, then bake in a moderate to slow (about 160°C) oven until the bones are quite soft (about 1 hour).