Smoky, spicy, and just fishy enough. When I say Smoked Sprats on Toast with Chile Butter, does your head turn towards the plate, or do I turn your stomach?
I know how some people feel about little oily fish, especially little oily canned fish. But truthfully these smoked sprats on toast have a lot going for them. Starting with the obvious: sprats (as well as sardines, anchovies, herring, and the like) are good for you. One serving of these little silvery fish can contain 17 grams of protein and half the recommended daily amount of calcium. If you haven’t heard how rich they are in beneficial omega‑3 fatty acids then I don’t know where you’ve been swimming.
However, I didn’t choose to present another little tidbit on toast to sell you on the vast health and significant environmental benefits of sprats. You’re looking at these sprats on toast because I can’t resist picking up strange things in cans.
Strange Things in Cans
Ken and I were in a small Russian market in West Hollywood over the Christmas holiday. You can buy quality caviar there without the quality price tag. While in the store we grabbed a few unusual Russian pantry items with no real plan on how to use them. One of the things I grabbed was a cat food-sized can with Cyrillic letters on the outside and unknown contents on the inside.
Once home I pulled out the groceries and began to look for clues about my mysterious Russian can. There were none I could recognize.
However, it was easy to deduce which words on the label were the “brand” logo. So I ignored those and instead honed in on the phrase копченые шпроты.
I decided that the contents of my can must certainly be копченые шпроты.
Of course, I could have grabbed a can opener and ended my sleuthing right then and there. But I didn’t want to have an open can of food and no plan for using it. What if it was cat food. I don’t have a cat…
So I stuck the копченые шпроты in the pantry and forgot about it.
Well, almost forgot about it.
What I did a few months later I’m really rather proud of. I went online and pulled up the Russian alphabet. Then I painstakingly copied and pasted each and every character from my can of копченые шпроты. Once my collage was complete, I copied and pasted that into Google translate. Lo and behold – I was the proud papa of a can of smoked sprats!
So now, all the oily fish lovers out there can grab a Smoked Sprats on Toast and cheer my diligence. As for the oily fish haters, well, the Calabrian chile butter will help cut through the oiliness of the fish. Making you forget all about these little fishies (and their health benefits). GREG
Recipe for Calabrian Chile Butter may be found here: https://www.sippitysup.com/recipe/calabrian-chile-butter/
Ingredients
- 12 slice toasted rustic bread
- Calabrian chile butter (at room temperature, see notes)
- 12 canned smoked sprats (may substitue sardine)
- flat leaf parsley leaves (as needed)
- finely grated lemon zest
- freshly cracked black pepper
Directions
Lay the toasted bread slices on a serving platter. Spread a thick, generous layer of Calabrian chile butter across each one. Layer on a single smoked sprat over the top of each toast, then garnish with parsley leaves, lemon zest, and a grind of black pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 cup room-temperature unsalted butter
- ¼ cup chopped jarred Calabrian chiles (including seeds and any oil that clings to the peppers)
- 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1–2 pinch kosher salt (or to taste)
Directions
Place butter, chopped Calabrian chiles, lemon zest, and minced garlic in a food processor. Season with kosher salt and pulse until the butter is smooth and bright orange with some visible flecks of chile. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.
Smoked sprats rock! As do smoked herring. This recipe sounds great. I need to give it a bash.
I always love to read your recipe contents. I have learnt a lot of new recipes and tried them at home. You way of teaching is effective. Thank you for sharing these delicious and yummy recipes.
Love this recipe of smoked toast. This is looking so yummy and delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
Wow, this smoke recipe is really looking so delicious and yummy. I love this wonderful reading. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe.
These are so easy and delicious for breakfast or even snack. I visited my local market and they had sprats in different sizes and since they don’t expire for some time, I took 10 cans so I can enjoy these at least 9 times more. These turned out so delicious! Thank you, Greg for sharing this recipe with us!
When you said, “strange things in cans” I thought of my dad immediately as my parents’ pantry is full of things like this that he can’t ever resist picking up while shopping (it’s also a habit he passed down to me). What a nice find and this is something my husband and I would enjoy. Love the Calabrian chili butter!
That is absolutely hilarious. I love your sense of curiosity. My question is… how do you know those sprats weren’t for cats? LOL
Hehe unlike some other folks commented on this post, I’m familiar with Smoked Sprats. Not sure I’ve ever tried any Russian brands, but I remember for sure brands produced in the Baltic countries (For sure in Latvia and maybe somewhere else) were considered the best. Certainly, canned smoked sprats are a very oily type of fish, with a pungent flavour, but it’s pretty good with a slice a bread. By the way, in my book dark rye bread makes the best pairing. I love how you elevated the idea by adding chili butter — great!
I’m afraid I have to type “sprats” into a translator, because I had no idea what they are. Now that I do, I’m guessing that I could accomplish something similar with something like a sardine. I have to confess that I do have an aversion to canned fish. Once it’s out of the can and onto the plate, I’m fine with it. But somehow I can’t shake the feeling that I shouldn’t like canned fish. Obviously, I need to bring this to a therapist.
I am a huge fan of tiny, oily fish, sadly JT is not, he doesn’t even like the smell! That chili butter looks and sounds wonderful, will definitely be giving that a try.
We have an amazing selection of ethnic grocery stores, not sure about Russian though, although it wouldn’t surprise me as we have a huge number of super rich Russians north of Toronto.
“The other day we were at a Russian market in Hollywood over the Christmas holidays…” My god, man, who gets to say that!!! California has its problems but you live in a wonderland for food. I love small fish, but usually order them in France. Never really think to have them at home, although I occasionally buy kipper snacks. I guess those count, but I’ve never made a fun butter. I have a jar of Calabrian chiles, and you’ve certainly given me a great idea for how to use them!
I so enjoyed your sleuthing approach to solving the problem of the mystery can. Now you can help me with my problem — what are Calabrian peppers and where do you purchase them?
Balancing spicy, smoky and salty flavors, these crushed, oil-packed chiles from Italy’s Calabria region are have a complex flavor and piquant kick that complements many savory dishes. Use them to top pizza, flavor pasta sauces, infuse salad…
Category: Food
Price Range: $12.95 — $25.90
Brand: williams-sonoma
Calabrian Chiles in Oil | Williams Sonoma
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/williams-sonoma-calabrian-chiles-in-oil-2014/
GREG
Yummy! I love all greasy small fish. BTW. what’s the name of the Russian store in WeHo? I also love“quality caviar without the quality price”. Thanks!
Odessa 7781 Santa Monica Blvd. GREG
Suddenly I’m reminded of Jack Sprat and his inability to eat fat. Sorry, my mind wonders sometimes! And I agree that adding fat (in the form of the chile butter) will, paradoxically, help cut the fatty oil of the fish. Lovely dish, love the chile butter in particular. Thanks!
Love small oily fish. On toast. In pasta. Wherever.
We have (had? Don’t know what havoc Covid has wreaked) a Russian store here — I need to check if they have smoke sprats. If not, I am sure some online purveyor could help me.
This reminds me of being served sardines and tomatoes on well-oiled (olive, of course) toasts in Morocco. We still eat them as a light meal sometimes. Can’t wait for these and the Calabrian chile-butter.