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Tinned fish has an incredible marketing department these days, and it’s finally getting the love it deserves. It’s budget-friendly and one of the easiest ways to get more seafood into your diet. If you’ve ever complained that fish is expensive, hard to cook, easy to mess up, or quick to spoil, tinned fish is your answer. But if you’re like me, it kind of smells like cat food when you first open the can. I learned to appreciate canned sardines at Burning Man (hunger is the best seasoning), and once I got home I was determined to find a way to love them in real life. This might be the simplest—and most useful—recipe in this chapter and will make a great everyday pantry meal you don’t need to be caught in a dust storm to appreciate. For my brother Marko, who caught the tuna in the photo— I’ve been holding onto it for 15 years. Still delicious. Love you, Marko.
4 ounces tinned fish of choice (sardines, tuna, anchovies)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, cracked
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
1 strip lemon zest, julienned
2 slices sourdough bread, toasted and cooled
room temperature butter
1 sprig marjoram or oregano (optional)
SERVES
ACTIVE TIME
TOTAL TIME
Tinned fish has an incredible marketing department these days, and it’s finally getting the love it deserves. It’s budget-friendly and one of the easiest ways to get more seafood into your diet. If you’ve ever complained that fish is expensive, hard to cook, easy to mess up, or quick to spoil, tinned fish is your answer. But if you’re like me, it kind of smells like cat food when you first open the can. I learned to appreciate canned sardines at Burning Man (hunger is the best seasoning), and once I got home I was determined to find a way to love them in real life. This might be the simplest—and most useful—recipe in this chapter and will make a great everyday pantry meal you don’t need to be caught in a dust storm to appreciate. For my brother Marko, who caught the tuna in the photo— I’ve been holding onto it for 15 years. Still delicious. Love you, Marko.
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© eating for life 2026
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