Miguel Maestre's Calasparra rice-crusted sardines with green beans and chorizo

METHOD

1. Grind rice to a powder in a grinder or mortar and pestle*. Place on a plate.
2. Whisk flour and water in small bowl to form a smooth batter. Season.
3. Pat sardines dry with absorbent paper. Dip skin-side only in batter, then dip both sides into powdered rice.
4. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook the sardines skin-side down, for 4 minutes or until crust is crisp and golden. Turn and cook for a further 30 seconds. Drain on absorbent paper.
5. Add chorizo to same pan. Cook, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in parsley and garlic. Season to taste.
6. Place bean and chorizo mixture on serving plate. Top with sardines. Serve with lemon wedges.

Miguel’s tip: If grinding the rice in a mortar and pestle, do a little at a time. If you add all the rice in one go, it will be impossible to crush. Make sure it is ground to a power and is not too coarse.