2 cups natural cane sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 (7-ounce) beet, broiled or roasted, peeled, and diced small
1/2 pound meaty fish fillets, such as California yellowtail, mahi mahi, or opah
1 1/2 tablespoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-2 whole Pacific sardines, scaled and gutted (or one 4.5-ounce can boneless, skinless sardines in water)
1/2 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 pound low-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)

Sardine Spread with Beet-Pickled Onions

Elisa Bosley | Delicious Living

An unusual and savory dip from Sea Rocket Bistro in San Diego's North Park neighborhood. Serve with crostini or crackers.

Make Beet-Pickled Onions: In a medium pot, boil sugar and salt in vinegar, until dissolved. Add onion and beets. Simmer 1 minute. Cool several hours.
Season fish fillets with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat; add fillets. Cook for 3 minutes; then flip. Add sardines to pan (omit this step if using canned sardines). Cook for 1 minute; then flip sardines. Cover and cook 2 more minutes.
Remove skin from fillets and transfer fish to a large food processor; pulse for 1 minute.Peel sardines away from spines and add to processor (if using canned, drain and add to processor). Process until shredded. Add remaining salt and pepper, plus bell pepper, parsley, dill, basil, lemon zest and juice, and coriander. Process 1 minute more.
With food processor running, add cream cheese and butter a little at a time. Process until incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a shallow dish and refrigerate. Top with drained beet-pickled onions to serve.

PER SERVING: 218 cal, 5g fat (2g mono, 1g poly, 2g sat), 17mg chol, 5g protien, 39g carbs, 1g fiber, 328mg sodium.