The finest fish in a tin, in our collection of canned sardinillas

The sardinilla is not simply a small sardine: it is the young sardine, caught before it reaches adult size, and that detail changes everything. Its bones are so fine you eat them without noticing, its flesh is more delicate and its flavour far less oily than that of a large sardine. In our collection of canned sardinillas we have gathered the best tins from the Galician Rías and the Cantabrian coast, packed by hand one by one.

The smaller, the better

Here the logic is the opposite of almost all tinned seafood. With mussels or cockles, bigger means more prized; with sardinillas it is the other way round. The number on each tin tells you how many pieces it holds, and the more that fit, the finer and more delicate each one is:

• 20/25 pieces and more: the finest and the most expensive. Tiny sardinillas with imperceptible bones and an almost silky texture. The ones you eat one at a time, on bread and nothing else.
• 12/18 pieces: the most balanced size. Enough body to taste the fish and enough finesse to stay delicate.
• 8/12 pieces: good-sized sardinillas, closer to the sardine, with a stronger flavour and better value for money.

In olive oil, spicy or with lemon

Olive oil is the classic preparation and the one that interferes least. The spicy versions add chilli to the oil, and the lemon ones bring a citrus touch that cuts the richness of the oily fish. Some canneries, such as Real Conservera, toast the sardinilla before packing it: a step that concentrates the flavour and gives a texture that a merely boiled sardinilla does not have.

Before serving

Room temperature, never straight from the fridge: cold thickens the oil and shuts in the aromas. On toast, with a roasted pepper alongside or simply with its oil. And do not throw that oil away: it has spent months absorbing the flavour of the fish.

Add your favourite tins to the basket and receive them in 24-48 hours.