Anchovy

About

Anchovies are eaten fresh or vinegar-marinated, as in Spanish boquerones, but most culinary use centers on anchovies preserved in oil or salt, plus the anchovy-based fish sauces of Southeast Asia. Preserved anchovies have a strong, fishy flavor that takes some getting used to, but cooking softens their slightly rancid edge into a rich, savory, almost meaty depth that intensifies the flavor of other fish, meats, and vegetables. Anchovy-based products such as anchovy essence and anchovy butter (sometimes called Gentleman's Relish) are less common than they once were but still available. Worcestershire sauce is a well-known example, combining anchovy with tamarind, vinegar, sugar, and other seasonings.

Pairs well with anchovy

• CiLemonAnchovies pounded with lemon juice and olive oil make a simple, sharp dressing well suited to bitter salad greens like arugula or chicory.
• EaPotatoJansson's temptation, a Swedish potato gratin, layers sliced onion and anchovy fillets with potato matchsticks, cream, and a breadcrumb…
• SuEggAnchovy and egg appear together in several classic dishes: Wiener schnitzel à la Holstein tops a fried egg and schnitzel with anchovy…
• FrTomatoTomato and anchovy cooked together produce a strong umami flavor, which is why they appear together in pizza, pissaladière and spaghetti…
• SuGarlicAnchovy's saltiness and garlic's pungent sweetness combine intensely in dishes like anchoïade, a chilled Provençal dip of pounded garlic…
• CrCoconutFish sauce and coconut milk are a foundational pairing in Southeast Asian curries and stews.
• MeBeefGarum, a fermented sauce made from sun-dried anchovy or mackerel innards and brine, likely originated in Greece and was widely used by the…
• GrChiliPhrik nam pla, a simple mix of sliced fresh chilies and fish sauce, is a common table condiment in Thailand, functioning much like salt…
• ChHard CheeseAnchovy and hard cheese pair well in dishes like English "mock crab" sandwiches (grated cheese mixed with anchovy, mustard, and a little…
• MeLambAnchovy works as a flavor enhancer for lamb: salted anchovy fillets pushed into slits cut in a shoulder or leg joint (roughly 8-12 per 4…
• CiLimeLime and fish sauce (often anchovy-based) combine in Thai salad dressings and in nuoc cham, the Vietnamese dipping sauce served with…
• SuOnionBigoli in salsa, a Venetian dish of thick, nutty whole-wheat pasta with anchovies and onions, is a regional specialty of the Dorsoduro area.
• SuCauliflowerCauliflower and anchovy is a more accessible alternative to the classic cauliflower-and-caviar pairing.
• FrPineappleNuoc nam, a Vietnamese dipping sauce made from fermented anchovy fish sauce, lime juice, chili, and sugar, has a more pungent relative,…
• BrOliveAnchovy and olive add a salty, briny intensity to simple dishes like pizza margherita.
• BeRosemaryAnchovy's saltiness and rosemary's piney resin balance each other well.
• ChSoft CheeseSalty anchovy cuts through the mildness of soft cheese.
• EaBeetBeets' natural sweetness pairs well with salty ingredients like anchovy, goat cheese, and capers.
• MuCaperSmall amounts of caper and anchovy can transform bland or oily dishes.
• MaWhite FishAnchovy sauce with boiled or fried white fish, especially flatfish and breadcrumbed cod, is a long-established English pairing, documented…
• BeSageAnchovy and sage are sometimes called 'the fisherman's truffle' (il tartufo di pescatore) in Italy.
• MuWatercressAnchovy and watercress work like a more refined salt-and-pepper pairing, anchovy's saltiness against watercress's peppery bite.
• SuBroccoliAnchovy's rich saltiness balances broccoli's bittersweet flavor in a well-known Italian pasta dish, especially with purple sprouting…