MSC Sardines in Organic Olive Oil by A Banca da Sardinha
MSC Sardines in organic extra virgin olive oil by A Banca da Sardinha are the MSC-certified version of the colorful Lisbon tin. Independently verified catch from the Northeast Atlantic, paired with olive oil from controlled organic cultivation instead of conventional oil.
MSC Sardines in organic extra virgin olive oil are oil-packed sardines from A Banca da Sardinha in Lisbon, whose catch is independently verified according to the MSC standard. The Sardina pilchardus comes from fishing area FAO 27, the Northeast Atlantic off the Portuguese coast. In the tin, they are preserved in organic extra virgin olive oil, with the addition of organic salt. Three ingredients, two inspection bodies, one tin.
Tender in bite, mild in finish
These sardines have a clear, calm taste, without smoke or heat, with a hint of green from the organic olive oil in the finish.
Here, the oil is not just an infusion but the second voice in the tin. It introduces a slightly grassy, finely bitter note, typical of good olive oil from the south, and layers it beneath the salty maritime flavor of the fish.
The fillets remain firm without becoming dry, and they detach cleanly from the backbone with a fork. If you usually reach for spiced varieties, you will notice the difference immediately here: nothing pushes its way to the fore.
On bread, in pasta, alongside an egg
Toasted sourdough bread with a bit of lemon is the obvious accompaniment, a chilled Vinho Verde the perfect glass to go with it.
In the kitchen, add the fillets late to warm dishes so they stay whole, for example in a pasta with garlic and parsley or on baked potatoes. Served next to a soft-boiled egg and a few pickled onions, the tin becomes a complete dinner.
The oil remains afterward and has absorbed the flavor of the fish; it belongs in a dressing, not down the drain. Once you have opened the tin, the leftovers will keep for two days if covered in the refrigerator.
Two seals of approval on a colorful tin
A Banca da Sardinha belongs to Lisbon's Mediterran Food and Beverage, which has managed the brand since 2007 and has since expanded its range to 17 recipes.
The fish is brought in fresh from the coast and is cleaned by hand on the same day, then precooked according to the traditional Portuguese method and placed in the tin by hand. It is caught using a purse seine, a net that specifically encircles a school of fish and keeps bycatch to a minimum. It is precisely this fishing method that the MSC label verifies.
What distinguishes this version from its siblings are the two certifications behind it. The certificate MSC-C-66787 verifies the origin from verified fisheries, while the organic inspection body PT-BIO-03 stands behind the olive oil. Like all others from the brand, the tin is wrapped by hand in colorful paper.
Those looking for the straightforward classic without organic oil will find it in the Sardines in Olive Oil; the entire A Banca da Sardinha range and other sardines from Portugal are available on the shelf alongside. A tin backed by two inspection bodies.
Content 120g – Drained weight 85g – Organic control number PT-BIO-03