014 / 75 · Cold Lunches and Simple Assemblies
Sardine and Cucumber Lemon Crispbreads
8 topped crispbreads; 4 per lunch serving · Active 15 min · Total 15 min
Print recipe · PDFSardines bring a ready-cooked filling to a crisp lunch without another pan. Choose the specified fish packed in oil and weigh it after draining. A short yogurt-and-lemon mixture keeps the topping coherent, while cucumber belongs on the crispbread only at eating time. Assembling in stages is the difference between a crisp lunch and a soft cracker covered in liquid.
Know what is in the tin
Canned sardines are already cooked. Soft edible bones are common in this product and are included in the food record used for the estimate; they can be mashed into the fish with a fork. Examine the fish as you flake it and remove any firm fragments you do not want to eat. The 160 g quantity is drained fish, not the printed net weight of an unopened can. Depending on the can size, you may need two tins. Do not pour the packing oil into the yogurt: this recipe estimates the oil retained in the drained sardines, not an extra serving of tin oil.
Assemble a few bites at a time
Dry the cucumber slices with a clean towel so they do not wet the cracker immediately. Stir the fish into the yogurt gently; a few flakes are more appealing than a completely smooth paste. Spread four crispbreads for each person only when you are ready to eat. If the brand makes unusually large or small pieces, weigh 30 g for each serving rather than insisting on four. Pack the dry crispbreads separately from the chilled fish and cucumber. Lemon changes the flavor, not the storage category. An opened tin and a yogurt dressing need refrigeration, so a shelf-stable tin becomes a perishable lunch once it is opened and mixed.
Ingredients
- Oil-packed Atlantic sardines with soft edible bones, well drained (160 g/about 5 2/3 oz)
- 1/3 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt (80 g)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml/about 15 g)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill (5 g)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (0.3 g)
- 1/2 large cucumber, thinly sliced (200 g, skin on)
- 8 small rye crispbreads (60 g total; use package weight to divide equally)
Set out
Kitchen scale, Can opener if needed, Sieve, Fork and mixing bowl, Knife and board, Clean towel, 2 plates or separate lunch containers, Refrigerator
Allergens
Fish, Milk, Rye (gluten); crispbreads may also contain wheat or sesame—check labels. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Drain the sardines in a sieve, without pressing them dry. Weigh 160 g edible fish. Flake with a fork, mashing soft bones if desired and removing any firm fragments.
- Mix yogurt, lemon, chopped dill and pepper, then fold in the sardines. Wash, slice and pat the cucumber dry.
- Divide the crispbreads by weight between 2 people. Just before eating, top each with cucumber and one eighth of the fish mixture, adjusting the number of pieces if your brand differs. Eat promptly while crisp.
A useful kitchen skill
Compare the drained edible weight with the unopened can weight, and keep crisp bread physically separate from wet toppings until eating.
A useful detail
The 15-minute method uses ready-cooked canned fish. The estimate is for oil-packed drained sardines with bones and 30 g crispbread per serving; water-packed fish or a different cracker changes it.
Another way
- Replace dill with the same 5 g chopped parsley for a different flavor.
- Use 160 g drained water-packed sardines if preferred, but use the package nutrition rather than the oil-packed estimate.
Keep it well
Refrigerate the mixed fish and cucumber separately at 40°F/4°C or below and eat within 1 day or the shorter yogurt deadline. Keep crispbreads sealed and dry until eating. Transport perishables with two cold sources in an insulated bag; refrigerate on arrival. Do not leave them unrefrigerated beyond 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C.