Morocco's Atlantic coast is sardine country. The fleets working out of ports from Casablanca down to Safi and Agadir make the kingdom one of the largest sardine producers in the world, and Safi has long been called its sardine capital. Along that coast the fish are grilled on the harbor front, baked into tagines and, best of all, made into these: two butterflied sardines pressed together around a spoonful of chermoula, then floured and fried. Moroccans call them married sardines, and the marriage is a happy one.

Chermoula is the coast's all purpose fish marinade, a green paste of cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, lemon and olive oil. Against the rich, oily fish it tastes bright and sharp. The pairs can be assembled hours ahead and fried in minutes, which is about the right pace for a late lunch on a Grand Prix afternoon by the sea, or at least imagining one.

The chermoula

Ingredients

• 1 cup, packed (30 g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1/2 cup, packed (15 g) fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

The sardine pairs

Ingredients

• 16 fresh sardines

Frying

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (60 g) all purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• about 1 cup (240 ml) vegetable or sunflower oil
• 1 lemon

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