Canned sardines on wooden table
FOOD NEWS
The Simple Addition That Gives Canned Sardines An Extra Umami Boost
BY JULIA HOLLAND
Canned sardines are the cream of the crop of canned fish, and if you’re looking to supply a complementary boost of umami, fresh or dried mushrooms are a great addition.
Glutamate is the most well-known compound related to umami flavor, but two other compounds further distinguish its many notes: inosinate and guanylate.
Fish contain high levels of inosinate, while mushrooms contain high levels of guanylate. Therefore, the marriage of sardines and mushrooms provides a spectrum of umami richness.