Sardines with black olive tapenade

High quality sardines in a puree of black olives, anchovy, garlic, herbes de Provence and extra virgin olive oil. A Mediterranean-style recipe, filled with the flavours of southern France. Serving tip: serve on buttered bread or toast or with salad leaves and dress with the tapenade. About the cannery: La belle-iloise was founded in the fishing port of Quiberon, Brittany in 1932 by Georges Hilliet, when he was 22 years old. Quiberon was one of France’s key sardine canning hubs, with 14 canneries located there. The cannery was simply called Établissement Georges Hilliet. Hilliet was a firm believer in quality, artisanal production from the outset and resisted the emergence of mass retailing in the 60s, keeping faith with his own production values. He vowed he’d sooner sell his sardines from a basket on the beach than compromise on quality. The company was eventually re-named la belle-iloise, a tribute to the people of Belle-Ile - the island opposite Quiberon where the sardines are caught. Today Hilliet’s granddaughter Caroline Hilliet Le Branchu helms the company, continuing her grandfather’s ethos of quality, sustainable production and tinned fish that melds traditional recipes with innovative flair.