Ingredients for 1 sandwich

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 slices dark rye or pumpernickel bread, toasted

2 leaves red lettuce

1/2 can French or Spanish sardines, drained + 2 tablespoons oil

1/2 roasted red pepper, cut in thin strips

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine the vinegar, sugar and black peppercorns in a pan and heat to a boil.

Immediately pour the hot mixture over the sliced onions in a shallow dish and allow them to cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate until needed.

Stir together the mayonnaise, horseradish and lemon juice.  Spread this mixture over both slices of toasted bread.

Place a leaf of lettuce over this and lay on the sardine fillets.

Top with the pepper slices and pickled onion.  Drizzle on a tablespoon of oil from the can.

Season with salt and pepper.

(This recipe from chef Mike Colamenco was adapted from a sandwich issue of Saveur in 2011.)