sans filet de sardine

A sardine fillet without bones is for people who want the oil-rich fish without the bother of picking through a tin. By our assessment, sans filet de sardine makes sense when the main goal is clean eating on bread, in a salad, or with potatoes, because the fillet form is less fussy than whole sardines. The trade-off is that filleted sardines can lose some of the strong, rustic feel that whole fish bring, and the result can seem softer in character. In practice it is a straightforward pantry fish: open, drain, and use, with the main question being how well the flesh holds together. Compared with whole sardines, it is neater and a bit less distinctive, which is exactly why some people reach for it.