Sardine-ically speaking...

Sardines are nutritious and considered a "brain food." These fish are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which can help maintain a healthy heart. Recent studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids slow the progression of mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, thereby undoing all the bad effect of using the Mrs Beeton approved aluminium cookware.

Not only this, but sardines are also a good source of vitamin D, calcium, B12 and protein. Sardines are extremely low in contaminants such as mercury.

They are also delicious.

But not, as it turns out, in Mrs Beeton's SARDINE AND TOMATO SANDWICHES. And here's why...

Mrs Beeton is keen on sieving things. A lot of ingredients get passed through a sieve, hence why she suggests you purchase 2 hair sieves and one brass wire sieve when setting up your kitchen.

However, tomato and egg should never be passed through a sieve and mixed together, otherwise you end up with a mixture that resembles something you wouldn't want to feed to your dog. I can see what she's driving at, but I wouldn't want to serve these to my lady friends at a dainty afternoon tea.

But I digress. Here is the recipe so you can examine it for yourself. It does not come recommended.

SARDINE AND TOMATO SANDWICHES

INGREDIENTS - 1 tin of sardines

2 hard-boiled yolks of eggs

2 or 3 firm tomatoes

lemon-juice or vinegar

salt and pepper

white or brown bread,

butter

METHOD - Skin and bone the sardines, and split them in halves. Pass the tomatoes and yolks of eggs through a fine sieve, mix them with a little butter, add the lemon-juice or vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare some fingers of bread, spread them with the tomato preparation; on the top place half a sardine, and cover with fingers of bread and butter. Press well together, and dish tastefully on a folded napkin, garnished with parsley.

To improve this, I think maybe just adding slices of tomato and egg to the sardine fingers... or perhaps toasting the bread.