Six golden-browned skinless sardine fillets, each laid along a narrow strip of toast and dusted with cayenne, on a white oval platter with two lemon wedges. — Pan-browned sardine fillets on narrow strips of toast with lemon.

Grilled Sardines on Toast (1914)

Name: Grilled Sardines on Toast
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 slices white bread; 2 tins boneless skinless sardines in olive oil; 2 tbsp olive oil; ⅛ tsp salt; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 2 tsp lemon juice

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Grilled sardines on toast, a Midnight Feasts chafing-dish spread of 1914: boneless sardines turned once in hot olive oil, seasoned with salt, cayenne and lemon, on narrow strips of toast.

By The Forgotten MenuPublished Oct 29, 2026

Recipe makes: About 12 strips, 4 servings
Prep: 5 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 15 min

Toast the bread first, about 3 minutes; the sardines need about 4 minutes in the pan.

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Pan-browned sardine fillets on narrow strips of toast with lemon.

The story behind the recipe

May E. Southworth’s grilled sardines never meet a grill. In Midnight Feasts (San Francisco, copyright 1914) they are drained, skinned and turned once in two tablespoons of hot olive oil in the chafing dish, seasoned while hot with salt, cayenne and lemon, and each laid on a narrow strip of toast.

What went on the table with them?

The sardines lead the fourth of the six spreads Southworth suggests at the front of her book, followed by a Fisoli salad and a Mexicano relish. Fisoli is young string beans cut lengthwise into thin strips, tied in little bunches to boil, then chilled on ice and laid in neat rows on lettuce hearts and white chicory under French dressing. The relish is the surprise. It starts at the bakery, with cream-puff shells “the smallest that are made,” each opened on one side and filled with cream cheese beaten with French dressing until it is “as thick as soft cream.” It goes to the table with the Mexicano salad proper: white endive, chervil and tarragon in a bowl rubbed with garlic.

Why sardines?

Tinned fish kept, and Deshler Welch, writing for bachelors in 1896, lists canned sardines with herrings, shrimps, salmon and tongue among the things a well-stocked larder could turn into a quick chafing-dish snack. His own sardines à l’Indienne are mashed into a paste of egg yolk and chutney, crumbed and fried. Southworth’s version is plainer: oil, heat, a sharp finish and toast.

Making it today

Boneless skinless sardines in olive oil come ready for Southworth’s first step, so the skinning is already done. We pat them dry so they brown, use a skillet in place of the chafing dish, and cut each slice of toast into three strips, one sardine to a strip; her “narrow strip of toasted bread” suggested the strips. The fish only need heating through and a little color, which takes a few minutes.

The salad and the relish were both ready before the flame was lit, the side of the supper taken up in What Did a Chafing-Dish Supper Serve?. Welch’s Mushrooms on Toast (1896) also finish on bread, warmed in the pan they cooked in.

Drain and skin boneless sardines. Heat two tablespoonfuls of olive-oil in the pan and sauter the sardines in this, turning them once. ...

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Ingredients

For about 12 strips, 4 servings. Quantities are shown as written.

Quantities as written here, for about 12 strips, 4 servings.

White bread4 slices
Boneless skinless sardines in olive oil2 cans
Olive oil2 tbsp
Salt1/8 tsp
Cayenne pepper1 pinch
Lemon juice2 tsp

Ingredients as written here

4 slices white bread
2 tins boneless skinless sardines in olive oil
2 tbsp olive oil
⅛ tsp salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 tsp lemon juice

Equipment

10-inch skillet, nonstick or well seasoned
Thin metal spatula
Instant-read thermometer
Toaster

Instructions

Toast the white bread, cut each slice lengthwise into narrow strips and keep them warm on a platter.
Drain the boneless skinless sardines and pat them dry with paper towels. If any still have skin, peel it off.
Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
Lay the sardines in the pan in one layer and cook for about 2 minutes, until lightly browned underneath. Turn each one once, gently, with the thin spatula so it holds together, and cook for about 2 minutes more, until browned on the second side and hot through, 165°F (74°C) in the center.
While they are still in the hot pan, sprinkle them with the salt and cayenne pepper and spoon over the lemon juice.
Lift each sardine onto a strip of toast and serve at once.

Nutrition

250calories per serving

Recipe makes: About 12 strips, 4 servings
Servings: 4

Estimated per serving (4) from USDA FoodData Central values for drained canned sardines in oil, olive oil and white bread.

Recipe notes

When adjusting quantities

Two tins, about 110 g each, fill a 10-inch pan in one layer. For more, cook them in batches and keep the first ones warm on their toast.

Notes

Quantities mentioned in these notes don’t change when you adjust the servings.

Beyond the oil, Southworth measures nothing; we chose the two tins, the salt, the pinch of cayenne, the two teaspoons of lemon juice and the four slices of toast. Chill any leftovers within 2 hours and eat them cold the next day.

Scaling changes the ingredients only; pan sizes and cooking times need their own judgment. To adapt this recipe further, try the recipe tool at TuneMyRecipe (opens in a new tab), our sister site.