About Anchovies

Fresh: When they are filleted, floured and fried, these are the definitive fried fish. If, after frying, you marinate them in garlicinfused olive oil, vinegar, coriander and pepper, they can be served as a salad or tapa of anchovies en escabeche.

Marinated or soused in vinegar and oil: These are marinated raw, as in Spanish boquerones or the Italian alici. Don’t use them for cooking but they are great with herbs or tomatoes on grilled bread.

Salted and packed whole: My preferred form of larder anchovy. The flavour is unique, without any of the rank pungency many people associate with anchovies. They need to be desalted and filleted before use, which is easily done. Soak the fish in cold water for half an hour or so, then carefully rub them between your fingers to remove the skin – this divests them of overt saltiness. Use your thumb to remove the fillets, discarding the tail and tiny dorsal fin. If you don’t intend to use the fillets immediately, pat them dry, layer them in a dish and cover with olive oil. They will keep like this in the fridge for a week but the flavour will diminish.