Baltic sprats in olive oil with cayenne pepper. The sprats have a smooth, firm texture and are lightly smoked with a mild chilli kick from the cayenne. Diplomats is a Latvian cannery noted for its smoked sprats, a staple of the region's cuisine.
Serving tip: try these lightly smoked, mildly spiced sprats on toast with cooling, creamed avocado. Or make a hearty pasta sauce for two: sauté diced carrot, celery and onion in olive oil, add a clove or two of minced garlic, then a tin of chopped tomatoes and simmer. Add the sprats and warm through.
About the sprats: the sprats or brisling are wild-caught in the Baltic Sea and have a similar flavour and texture to sardines.
About the cannery: they are canned in Latvia by the artisans at Diplomats, a renowned tinned fish brand, with a history dating back to 1907. The fish is canned using 100% artisanal methods in its state of the art cannery in the seaside village of Engure, on the shore of the Gulf of Riga.
