Vintage Sardines with Seaweed

Vintage sardines with seaweed from the Atlantic

La Quiberonnaise vintage sardines with seaweed are Breton Atlantic sardines in olive oil, refined with a blend of sea lettuce, dulse, and nori, Millésime 2024. A recipe by Michelin-starred chef Éric Coisel that captures the taste of the sea twice over.

Vintage sardines with seaweed are fine Atlantic sardines from the Conserverie La Quiberonnaise, preserved in extra virgin olive oil with a blend of three types of seaweed, Millésime 2024 aux Algues. The recipe was developed by Éric Coisel, head chef of the Parisian restaurant Prunier. Sea lettuce, dulse, and nori give the fish a salty, green oceanic note—the sea squared, so to speak.

Opening the tin, it smells like the coast at low tide, of salt, kelp, and fresh fish. When you take a bite, the seaweed coats the sardine in a delicate, briny, and fresh layer without overpowering it. The fish remains firm and oily-tender, while the seaweed provides a green, slightly crunchy edge. The olive oil holds everything together, soft and balanced. If you love the sea, you will love this.

Salty, briny, reminiscent of the sea

The seaweed adds exactly the maritime note that many other canned fish products lack. This makes the tin taste not like a factory, but like low tide and kelp.

Sea lettuce tastes mild and green, dulse is slightly nutty, and nori is well-known from sushi; together they create a deep, maritime tone. Seaweed has long been a part of Breton cuisine, and here it meets fish that is equally Breton. Over the aging period, this seasoning combines with the fat of the sardine to form a well-rounded whole. The sardines with sea fennel from the same producer are similarly maritime, but crunchier.

Conceived by a Michelin-starred chef for bread

Éric Coisel, head chef at Prunier in Paris, loves everything that comes from the sea and devised this blend.

Prunier is a Parisian institution for fish and seafood, and you can taste that someone who knows the sea was at work here. Simply served on toasted bread with a splash of lemon, the seaweed note remains at the forefront. They are just as wonderful in a bowl of rice with sesame and spring onions, in pasta with garlic and chili, or as a topping for avocado toast. They also provide a surprising taste of the sea in a quiche or on a pizza bianca. For a more classic experience, reach for the red tin with olive oil.

A vintage tin from Quiberon since 1921

The tin features a sardine swimming through seaweed, drawn by cartoonist Stanislas Barthélémy, whose style shows the influence of Hergé and Simenon. Simple, clear, no-nonsense.

At La Quiberonnaise, fish have been caught and processed by hand in the fishing port of Quiberon since 1921. The cannery was founded by Henriette Jourdan, and today her grandchildren, Bernard and Thierry, run the house in the third generation. The fish is canned within 48 hours of being caught, without any freezing, and then ages in the oil like a good wine—hence the "Millésime" on every tin. In 2015, the house received the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" label for its living craftsmanship. You can find the seaweed variety alongside many other canned fish products from La Quiberonnaise in our shop.

A few sesame seeds for a maritime tone

Stored in a cool, dark place and turned once every six months, the oil distributes itself evenly through the fish. The seaweed note unfolds best when the sardines are served at room temperature. A few sesame seeds on top make the maritime character even more delightful. With a splash of lime and a little cilantro, it becomes a small seaside snack in no time.