Anchovy, Anchovy, the Flower of Fish

March 27, 2006 4:12 AM

What are your favorite recipes that use anchovies?

Obviously, anchovies are one of the world's greatest foods. I know, I know, they're mostly something used to add that indescribable final touch of brilliance to larger dishes. What are your favorite ways to use them? Someone gave me a 850gram can of salt-packed anchovies for Christmas, and I'm trying to gather ideas.

Mine is to saute some anchovies in olive oil with some garlic and red pepper and use it all with freshly grated parmesan to flavor pasta. They're also great in a sauteed winter squash and carmelized onion pasta topping.

posted by OmieWise to food & drink (35 comments total)

This sandwich (PAN-BAGNAT - bottom of page) rocks my world.
posted by oh pollo! at 4:19 AM on March 27, 2006

Pasta Puttanesca is so yummy. Anchovies AND olives...
posted by miss tea at 4:31 AM on March 27, 2006

There is a recipe in Jamie Oliver's latest book - Jamie's Italy - for an anchovy pangrattato. Whizz together a slice of bread, a tin of anchovies, a clove of garlic and some fresh red chilli then fry in a pan until it turns into brown breadcrumbs. He uses it on top of a cauliflower risotto but you can use it to liven up just about any dish with a delicious spicy salty flavour. In the programme that went with the book he says that this was orginally poor man's parmesan...
posted by janecr at 4:39 AM on March 27, 2006

IKAN BILIS! Yum.

Many dishes in Malaysia use them as a topping/condiment of sorts. Dry-fry them, then eat them with rice.

The most popular dish that uses anchovies in Malaysia is "nasi lemak" - literally "fat rice" (as in the noun, not the adjective). Cook some rice in coconut milk, then serve with peanuts, sambal (chilli paste), half a boiled egg, and anchovies. Typical breakfast food.

I usually eat them with peanuts - quite yum.
posted by divabat at 4:57 AM on March 27, 2006

Tapenade! Kalamata olives, anchovies, capers, garlic, all pounded together in a mortar (or, more conveniently, buzzed in a food processor). Spread on sourdough toast, alternate bites with sips of ice-cold straight gin. Heaven.
posted by Kat Allison at 5:03 AM on March 27, 2006

Bagna cauda
posted by briank at 5:07 AM on March 27, 2006

Kat Allison, that is a fantatsic idea that I am going to try immediately.

Also, liberally added to pan fried pancetta for a zesty addition to a marinara.
posted by mrmojoflying at 5:20 AM on March 27, 2006

Tapenade... Kat Allison is right on with that. Made well it's spreadable perfection.

However since I don't make my own tapenade, my main use of anchovies is essentially as a salt replacement in tomato-based pasta sauces. It adds the essential saltiness, but everything just tastes so much richer. Good lord I'm hungry.
posted by teem at 5:30 AM on March 27, 2006

Salad Niçoise, Caesar salad, another vote for Puttanesca and tapenade. Anchovies rock.
posted by mimi at 5:42 AM on March 27, 2006

Salad Nicoise.
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:43 AM on March 27, 2006

phooey. mimi even got the c correct.
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:43 AM on March 27, 2006

Pissaladière is a wonderful thing. (Googling will give you many, many more recipes.)
posted by Johnny Assay at 6:01 AM on March 27, 2006

A small amount (really rather small) is great in sauce for a Sicilian pizza.

I've made this pasta a couple times where you put anchovies in some ripping hot oil until they dissolve, and also add some capers. Boil spaghetti until it's about half-done and then add it to the oil/anchovies. Add in pasta water and cook it in the frying pan until it's done. Add a lot of parsley and grated cheese, plus pepper flakes if you like. The flavor permeating the noodles is very good.
posted by rxrfrx at 6:12 AM on March 27, 2006

From this recipe book:

Broccoli and Anchovy spaghetti - serves 4

Cook 350g spaghetti until tender. Cut 350g broccoli into small florets and chuck in with the spaghetti for the last 3 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 3 tablespoons oil in a frying pan, add 6 anchovy fillets and 2 fresh red chillis, seeded + finely chopped, and fry briefly. Add 100g white breadcrumbs and stirfry for about 5 mins until the crumbs are crunchy and golden.

Drain the spaghetti and broccoli and return to the pan. Toss with 3 quarters of the crumb mixture and seasoning and 2 tablespoons oil. Serve sprinkled with the remaining crumb mixture.
posted by Lotto at 6:48 AM on March 27, 2006

I know I'm a heretic, but the only thing that I recall having anchovies recently was Caesar Salad Dressing.

Heretical, I know, I know...
posted by unixrat at 7:50 AM on March 27, 2006

Enthusiastically seconding bagna cauda - it is *so* easy to make and just the tastiest thing ever.
posted by enrevanche at 7:59 AM on March 27, 2006

Pa amb Tomaquet
posted by machaus at 8:05 AM on March 27, 2006

Putanesca sauce.
posted by nyterrant at 8:53 AM on March 27, 2006

Y'know that pizza variation they call Hawaiian? Usually it's pineapple and ham. What I like is pineapple and anchovy but the combination seems so bizarre I'm too inhibited to order it. Instead, I usually make it myself, with frozen pizza.

I'd even try anchovy sushi.
posted by Rash at 9:17 AM on March 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

Janssons frestelse! The Swedes know what to do with anchovies. I've served this to friends - the sort that hate the very idea of anchovies - and they find it delightful.

Would you believe that this recipe, and anchovies in general, have been featured on NPR?
posted by aladfar at 9:24 AM on March 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

Y'know that pizza variation they call Hawaiian? Usually it's pineapple and ham. What I like is pineapple and anchovy but the combination seems so bizarre I'm too inhibited to order it

I don't like pineapple and ham pizza, or anchovy pizza... but I have a strong urge to order a pineapple and anchovy pizza now, just to find out how the hell that works out, gastronomically.
posted by I Love Tacos at 9:25 AM on March 27, 2006

These are all good recipes, and I've used most at one time or another, but several I had forgotten about. Thanks.

I cannot believe, though, how good Janssons frestelse sounds! I am certainly going to make that this weekend.
posted by OmieWise at 10:10 AM on March 27, 2006

I cannot believe how good Janssons frestelse sounds!

Agreed. It's rather like anchovy rosti.
posted by Rash at 10:30 AM on March 27, 2006

Brussel sprouts with anchovies. Steam the sprouts until they're just done. Put one can of anchovies in a hot skillet and add a couple crushed garlic cloves. When the garlic is just starting to turn golden, throw in the sprouts. Saute until everything is coated. Serve piping hot with a little fresh-ground pepper on top. Sooooooooo good.
posted by annaramma at 11:31 AM on March 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

I know I'm a heretic, but the only thing that I recall having anchovies recently was Caesar Salad Dressing.

You are not a heretic. Many recipes, and some of the original ones, for this salad included anchovies or Worstchestire sauce, which is made from anchovies.
posted by frogan at 12:15 PM on March 27, 2006

caesar salad is god.
posted by weaponsgradecarp at 1:48 PM on March 27, 2006

FYI
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:11 PM on March 27, 2006

A person who loves anchovies is a person who loves savoury. You will therefore love this pasta recipe.

Orecchioni Piccante

4 oz sun dried tomatoes
3 tbsp fresh basil
3 tbsp fresh parsley
1-2 fresh chillies (serrano or similar heat)
6 tbsp good olive oil
4 anchovy fillets
1/4 oz capers
2 good-sized cloves garlic
3 oz black olives, pitted
2 oz grated Pecorino Romano
16 oz orecchioni or similar pasta shapes. Shells work well too.


Soak the tomatoes in warm water for 1.5 hours. If you're using salted anchovies soak them in the same water for the last half hour. Dry the anchovies on paper and remove any bones. Take the tomatoes out of the water, but save its oily, salty loveliness.

Liquidise all the ingredients with 1/2 pint of the soaking water, except for the pasta (duh) and one third of the herbs, olives and cheese. Don't overdo it: a little coarseness in the consistency is what you want.

Cook your pasta and meanwhile warm the sauce lightly. Slice the remaing olives into it. Stir from time to time. Don't boil it, just get it good and hot, so the cheese softens and the consistency becomes yum.

When the pasta is done, drain, toss it in the sauce in a big bowl, stir in the remaining herbs and cheese.

Serves 4, and needs a stonking great red to go with it.

be aware that the sauce is quite naturally salty, so you almost certainly won't need to add any salt unless you're a complete salt whore. Try it first.
posted by Decani at 7:08 PM on March 27, 2006

Oh, by the way, I'm talking British pints there. 20 fl oz, not 16. So you want a cup and a quarter of water.
posted by Decani at 7:16 PM on March 27, 2006

add that indescribable final touch of brilliance to larger dishes

Anchovies add an indescribable final touch of brilliance to roasted lamb. Google for "anchovies roast lamb" for a swag of recipes. Here's one at Epicurious to get you started. A rack of lmab encursted with anchovie and pecorino breadcrumbs is quite a treat, too.

Make a pot of polenta. Stir through plenty of butter, salt, pepper and pecorino, then a few largeish chunks of your favourite blue vein cheese and a few anchovies. Stir til it's a molten mess. Great as a side dish with beef, or by itself on a winter's night.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:32 PM on March 27, 2006

I really need to start using that frigging spellchecker.
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:34 PM on March 27, 2006

One of our favorite things to do is to melt an anchovy fillet in some olive oil and then use that olive oil to pan-fry a breaded cutlet or chicken breast--even better if it's dredged in flour, egg, and Panko.

We also concocted a recipe that uses yellow oyster mushrooms, and it's on our site, but I think we're not supposed to link to ourselves, so you'll have to find it through the profile info here.

Good luck!
posted by NYCnosh at 11:48 PM on March 27, 2006

A tapa of roasted sweet peppers with oil-packed anchovies (Ortiz are good) on very fresh, crusty bread, drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and a turn of pepper is a thing of beauty.
posted by bifter at 4:05 AM on March 28, 2006

decani's sauce sounds great, as does the lamb. Lamb is my favorite, and I've never had it this way for some reason. Excellent!
posted by OmieWise at 7:28 AM on March 28, 2006

When I was a kid, my mom would mix cream cheese and blue cheese together and fill the grooves of 4" long pieces of celery with the cheese spread and top it with an anchovy fillet. Oh Man! Too good!
posted by sgobbare at 1:41 PM on April 17, 2006