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Anchovy Paste
A great condiment….
If you like anchovies then you’ll love anchovy paste. I use it a lot, it’s a great way of using up leftover anchovies and makes a great snack or flavouring agent.
I first made anchovy paste or ‘anchoyade’ as it is known in Provencale cookery many years ago but it would take a visit to South Africa for me to realise how good it was to eat in its own right. The Cape Town Waterfront has some great cafes and restaurants and I remember one cafe in particular which overlooked the quayside and served breakfast outside. I would sit and watch the huge ships in dock being painted and maintained by the crew whilst drinking excellent coffee and eating nothing more than a fabulous anchovy paste smeared on hot toast with some sliced ripe tomatoes.
That went some way into convincing me how good food can be simple and why classic recipes such as anchoyade still stand the test of time. There’s no real recipe to this one, use your judgement and taste buds, play around accordingly.
I use canned anchovies in oil, the brown fillets, not the white ones. Salted anchovies are used in other recipes, not this one. I take as many fillets as I think I am going to need and pound them in a pestle and mortar. A couple of drops of decent red wine vinegar are added along with a glug of olive oil to make a paste. That is the classic way of preparing anchovy paste, nothing more, nothing less.
If you want to expand on this recipe then use the above method as your building block then add a clove of garlic and a pinch of cayenne powder for a kick, some finely grated lemon zest will give it all a lift and all that is needed is a chunk of thickly sliced toasted French bread to spread it on.
Miles,
Something I’ve never tried… but I will now. I shall close my eyes and think of St Tropez!
Cid
March 19, 2008 @ 8:58 am
Miles,
That sounds good. I have been surprised about the use of anchovies in something like meatballs/beefburgers. It just seems to give it a bit of kick.
I wonder if the paste would be suitable for use with pasta as a change to pesto?
Elsie
March 19, 2008 @ 10:49 am
Just found your site - it’s briliant. I use anchovy paste when making leg of lamb. I alternate fillling small slits with garlic slivers and anchovy paste.
March 19, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
Dave,
Welcome to the site, I’m glad you like it. Garlic and anchovies are fantastic with lamb, a lot of people turn their noses up at lamb and anchovy but as you know it really works.
Thanks again and I hope you return to the site soon.
Miles
March 19, 2008 @ 3:15 pm
Cid,
Happy dreaming!
Miles
March 19, 2008 @ 3:16 pm
Elsie,
Anchovies are used in more flavourings then you might think. As for pasta, yes you can use it just don’t overdo it or mix it through some tomato sauce first. It’s also good mixed through a butter for broccoli or grilled meat and fish.
Miles
March 19, 2008 @ 3:17 pm