Broiled Sardines With Lemon and Thyme

This is a dish that is both humble and elegant, full of flavor, with the glistening silver skin of the sardines crisping in the heat. It’s also not fussy in the slightest, which means it could easily serve as the centerpiece of a light weeknight meal, with a large bowl of greens and crusty bread. First, heat the broiler (and with it, a sturdy pan), then stuff the sardines with whole thyme sprigs and sliced lemon. (Seasoned bread crumbs would be another sound addition.) Place the sardines in the pan with a generous slick of olive oil and run them under the broiler for about 5 minutes, without flipping, until the flesh is opaque and the skin is browned. Serve them whole, laid out on a platter, garnished with extra thyme branches and other chopped herbs if you have them. To eat, use a fork to tease away the white meat from the top of the skeleton, then carefully remove the intact skeleton to reveal the bottom filet.