Grilled Spiced Sardines with Couscous

Quickly rinse sardines and pat dry.

Using your fingers, grasp the top of a sardine’s backbone and pull down firmly but gently to remove it. (Don’t worry if flesh gets a little ragged; this will help sardines absorb the marinade.)

Repeat with remaining sardines.

Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in both sides of each sardine.

In a large bowl, combine oil, garlic, coriander, ground cinnamon, pepper, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.

Add sardines and toss gently to coat them all over. Cover and refrigerate while you heat the grill and make couscous.

Prepare a grill for medium heat cooking or preheat the broiler.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups water, cinnamon stick and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Bring to a boil over high heat.

Stir in couscous and lemon zest.

Remove from the heat, cover the pan and let sit for 10 minutes.

Remove sardines from marinade and discard excess marinade.

If grilling, remove as much marinade as possible from fish (it will cause flare-ups) and place them on the grill; use a grill basket if you have one. If broiling, place fish on a baking sheet and broil 6 inches from the heat source.

Cook sardines, flipping once, until well browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Fluff couscous with a fork and discard cinnamon stick.

Mound couscous on a platter and surround with sardines.

Sprinkle sardines with cilantro and parsley and serve.