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There can be few fridges that don’t contain a jar of mayonnaise – but the creamy stuff can do far more than just perk up a salad.
Anchovies
Anchovies are small in size but big in taste, adding an intense flavour to dishes. Tom Norrington Davies ponders this salty fruit de la mer.
The first time I laid eyes on a box of fresh anchovies I had no idea what I was looking at. A shoal of size-zero sardines perhaps, or over-fed whitebait. But the sleek, silvery mass before me was indeed anchovies that had been caught off the Devon coast. Anchovies don’t normally inhabit the English Channel but when they do, the event makes for a rare treat. They can be eaten fresh, but they are also easy to cure, and buying a large quantity allows a greedy chef like me to do both.
As wonderful as any fish might taste straight from the grill. When I’m feeling nostalgic it is the cured version of anchovies that I long for. From a can or a jar, they are summer holiday food personified: draped over a salad niçoise, or an unfeasibly large and crispy pizza.
Chopped into salsa verde they become the ultimate barbecue accessory. So far, so Mediterranean. And it’s no surprise that we associate the anchovy with that part of the world.
The Romans used cured and fermented anchovies to make garum, a gravy-like sauce used to season most of their cooking. In southern France, Spain and Italy, the sauce gave way to the use of the salted fish itself, although in the Far East, Thai nam pla is made from anchovies and is thought to be a descendent of Roman garum.
What is it that gives anchovies such universal appeal? The answer must lie in the uniquely savoury nature of the cured fish. It has more depth than salt and it isn’t exactly fishy. In many ways it is the aquatic version of bacon. This ‘bacon’ can be shockingly intense or pungent when left whole. The texture and flavour isn’t to everyone’s taste. I think some of my nostalgic memories of anchovies are rose-tinted. I’m sure in reality, as a boy, I must have sat looking at them on the plate, daring myself to tuck in like the grown-ups around me.
"Similar to olives and capers, anchovies are a truly acquired taste – best when they are chopped up and melted into other ingredients"
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Similar to olives and capers, which I
associate them with, anchovies are a truly acquired taste. Even though
I’m a fan of them any which way these days, I think I like them best
when they are chopped up and melted into other ingredients.
A couple of anchovies will spike an egg mayonnaise sandwich
perfectly. As much as I love potato dauphinoise, I think I’m quietly
crazier about Jansson’s Temptation, a Scandinavian cousin of the French
gratin, using fillets of anchovy.
If I’m roasting lamb, I
can’t stop at rosemary and garlic these days: a few anchovies will
usually find their way into the equation. A lot of people are scarred
for life by those monster anchovies that ambushed their childhood
pizzas.
I have many friends who swear blind that they don’t
like anchovies. Some might be surprised at how often they eat them
without knowing. Worcestershire sauce is a classic example of what I
call ‘secret anchovies’. It’s that savoury thing again: Worcestershire
sauce relies hugely on the deep savoury notes of anchovy essence.
Whenever you splash a little into a casserole or use it to anoint
cheese on toast, you are echoing a culinary practise as old as time…or
at least as old as Latin!
Whether they are blatant or hidden,
I’ve always loved anchovies, and these recipes should persuade even the
most sceptical to take another look. A couple of them showcase the
whole critter, and others are more subtle. Get into the habit of having
them as a standby ingredient. I think having a stash of summer
holiday-type goodies in the larder is especially important at this time
of year: this season is doing its best to arrive, but it often comes in
fits and starts. That’s when it’s great to use ingredients that taste
like it is gorgeous outside, whatever the weather is doing in real
life.
Beetroot, anchovy and watercress salad recipe
This is surprisingly intense considering its simplicity. It’s all to do
with the mixture of sweet and salty. Smaller summer beetroots are best
for this dish as they have an almost smoky taste when roasted.
Jansson's temptation recipe
This dish – originally from Sweden – is incredibly simple, but don’t
rush it. It is also fantastic with 50g freshly grated Parmesan,
sprinkled over the top before you pop it in the oven. Not quite
authentic but tasty.
Summery braised shoulder of lamb recipe
When I was a boy, my mum followed the fine tradition of pairing lamb
with anchovies. Now I use a mixture of the sauce and the fish to create
a rich, but summery dish that’s perfect for this time of year.
Green sauce (salsa verde) recipe
The anchovies in green sauce are a truly hidden ingredient, adding a
deeply savoury (as opposed to fishy) note to the classic sweet, salty
and sour combo. You must chop everything by hand as the texture should
be quite rough.
More anchovy recipes...
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