Looking back on previous columns, it baffles me that I haven’t yet thrown out any recipes involving anchovies. To the anchovy lovers, I don’t need to yammer on about how great they are. But I know there are lots of you out there who eye anchovies with suspicion — they’re small and weird and slightly fermented little fishes and you have to eat the whole thing, bones and all. That said, anchovies can rise above their status as polarizing pizza topping: I’ve seen more than one friend converted after trying anchovies prepared certain ways (which, admittedly, I may have snuck into a dish without telling them, lording it over them after they declared that they liked it).
Questionable food bullying practices aside, using anchovies as a seasoning is a good starting point for the non-believers. As an ingredient loaded with umami, anchovies lend a savoury, rich flavour to many dishes when used in the background (say, in pasta sauces or dips) — hence their use as a base for many condiments like Worcestershire sauce and Vietnamese fish sauce. Best: simmer ground-up anchovies with minced garlic, olive oil and butter and you have bagna cauda, a sauce that can be drizzled over vegetables or poached eggs, or simply served with crusty wedges of bread for dipping alongside a salad or some nice buffalo mozzarella cheese.
Anchovies also store well in the fridge, and with many common pantry items, can make dishes whipped up in a flash taste like they’ve been simmering all day on the stove. For easier storage, I like to buy the kind that come in a jar, packed in olive oil, rather than the tinned ones.
Here’s an anchovy double-header of two of my favourites: spaghetti puttanesca, using minced anchovies dissolved into a quick tomato sauce finished off with capers, olives and fresh parsley; and a creamy white bean dip with a hint of garlic and brightened with fresh lemon juice. Serve the latter on toasted crostini for company or parties, or keep it in the fridge for weeknight snacking with some pita or tortilla chips. And for the haters or those impervious to food bullying: I’ve included an anchovy-free option for the dip.
Spaghetti Puttanesca
Serves 4
3 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
5-6 anchovy fillets, minced
1 can (28 oz.) whole plum tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
2 tbsp capers, drained
handful chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 lb spaghetti
1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil on medium low heat. In a large bowl, crush the tomatoes with your hands until desired consistency (or, for a smoother sauce, pulse a few times in a food processor or blender).
2. Add garlic and sizzle gently; avoid burning it. Add tomatoes and anchovies, stirring to combine. Increase to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for about 15 minutes, until sauce thickens. Meanwhile, boil spaghetti until just al dente.
3. Stir in olives and capers with sauce. Toss with pasta and parsley, adding salt and pepper to taste.
White Bean Dip with Anchovies
1 clove garlic
5 anchovy fillets
juice from half a lemon
1 can (14 oz.) cannelini/white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2-3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1. Mince garlic with anchovy fillets in a food processor.
2. Add beans and lemon juice and purée, streaming in olive oil at end until it’s a smooth consistency.
3. Stir in the parsley, add salt and pepper to taste.
Vegetarian variation:
Substitute 1/2 a head roasted garlic for minced garlic, and a tablespoon of capers for anchovies.
Sara Chan is a Toronto-based entertainment lawyer, food enthusiast, unprofessional home chef and even less professional food photographer. Her favourite food group is pork. Sara’s column appears every other Tuesday here on lawandstyle.ca.