Anchovy

anchovy a fish of the family Engraulidae. Species are found in all the warm oceans, and it is interesting to observe the varying uses made of them in different regions of the world.

The anchovy of culinary renown is Engraulis encrasicolus of the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the warmer waters of the E. Atlantic coasts. In earlier centuries it was mainly consumed as salted anchovies, which were sold from barrels. It is now more familiar in the form of canned anchovy fillets, which are used to impart a distinctive and salty flavour to many dishes. The preserved anchovies of Collioure, in the south of France, are reputedly among the best.