Anchovies

[Gruney Profile]

Although I like the odd anchovy as a background flavour - in a tomato sauce, or with lamb, for example, I'm not a massive fan if it's overpoweringly strong - say an anchovy pizza. In consequence, when I buy a small tin, I tend to use just one or two, and the rest get ditched. By chance - I picked up a snippet from a Matt Tebbutt conversation the other day, when he just said unused anchovies will keep "forever", in the fridge. I know they're not expensive, but that's not the point - any ideas on the best way to go about this, please?

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I generally put half used anchovies in the freezer, in one of those little PET pots that a takeaway might do sauce or chutney in.

I once had a really lovely salad at St John B&W, cold cooked runner beans in a dressing including anchovies and shallots.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I'm with you all the way, Gruney. I just cannot fall in love with anchovies.
I buy a jar, as that can sit sticking onto the fridge door tray for ever.

I use them for one thing really. (Caesar) salad dressing, Gary Rhodes method:

Blitz:
100g mayo
2 anchovies
1tsp capers
2 garlic cloves
1tsp dijon
dash of worcester, dash of tabasco
1/2 lemon juice

stir in 25g parmesan (he's so precise).

[Lusciouslush Profile]

I absolutely love anchovies & use them a lot in cooking - I often use them where you'd normally use bacon to kick start a dish eg fry (with the oil too) with onions/garlic etc. adds a lovely umami flavour & not just one or two - I use a LOT! ( I buy the kilner jars of them)

They will keep forever in the fridge Gruney - in a small ramekin type pot covered with cling film - just make sure you keep them covered with oil - either from the tin or if you've used it all, add your own, just enough to cover.
Mmmmmmm anchovies......lurve 'em !

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I go in Matt Tebbutt’s direction

I don’t buy the tins, I buy the jars, use a few, top up with oil and keep in the fridge.

The only thing is you do have to take the jar out of the fridge 15 or 20 minutes before you use them as the oil sets fairly solid

The advantage is that the anchovies tend to be less mushy than the canned ones

[Lusciouslush Profile]

But if you want to sweat the anchovies down, that mushiness can be an advantage - they almost liquify.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I find that any anchovy collapses in a hot pan

Apart of course from the white boquerones that you get in Spanish tapas, Lidl sometimes have those, yum

[Gruney Profile]

Thanks everybody - that's a real help.

[Linnet Profile]

... the white boquerones that you get in Spanish tapas, Lidl sometimes have those, yum

Agree with the yum - both my local Sainsburys and Waitrose have those, when I am able to go shopping again.

[Pampy Profile]

I love anchovies. I used a can on Saturday when I made broccoli pasta. Just soften a couple of sliced garlic cloves in the anchovy oil, add the anchovies and stir until broken down then add chilli flakes to taste. Cook pasta and add small florets of broccoli 2 or 3 minutes before the pasta is done, then drain and add to the garlic and anchovy. Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce - add a bit of the cooking water to loosen, if necessary. A really quick and tasty meal.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I love anchovies. I used a can on Saturday when I made broccoli pasta. Just soften a couple of sliced garlic cloves in the anchovy oil, add the anchovies and stir until broken down then add chilli flakes to taste. Cook pasta and add small florets of broccoli 2 or 3 minutes before the pasta is done, then drain and add to the garlic and anchovy. Mix well to coat the pasta with the sauce - add a bit of the cooking water to loosen, if necessary. A really quick and tasty meal.

ooooh broccoli and anchovy pasta is one of our favourites OH sometimes adds some roast cherry tomatoes to it.

We are also anchovy fans. One of my friends always makes her anchovy butter on M & S bruschetti whenever we go (went ...) round there. I guess I'm addicted to the umaminess! Somehow, when I make it myself it never seems to taste as good

[Stokey Sue Profile]

The other thing I sometimes have in the fridge is a tube of anchovy paste which keeps for ages and can be added to salad dressings and, at a pinch, to pasta sauces

[liketocook Profile]

I keep a bottle of anchovy ketchup in the fridge, it lasts for ever and saves opening a jar or tin.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Lovely sounding pasta Pampy I love broccoli too but The Lushly won't touch it so I'll give that a whirl when I'm cooking for one!

I make anchovy butter too - & also do a batch with finely chopped chilli & grated lemon zest - really good on veg & very handy to have in the freezer along with anchovy breadcrumbs.

I keep a tube of paste in the fridge too if something needs it along the way - I really miss the anchovy sauce I always bought in that old-fashioned bottle shape - can't think of the name of it now - it hasn't been on the shelves for years but was much better than the paste.
I haven't heard of anchovy ketchup!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Burgess Anchovy Essence LL?

It was when I couldn’t get that any more I took to the tubes. It’s a lot easier to get the fishies out of the tube than a rather narrow necked bottle, but it’s not the same

[Pampy Profile]

I looked on Amazon for anchovy essence and one of the results was this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Delfino-Anchov ... JWAJFE75EH Looks very interesting (and expensive!).

[liketocook Profile]

Lovely sounding pasta Pampy I love broccoli too but The Lushly won't touch it so I'll give that a whirl when I'm cooking for one!

I make anchovy butter too - & also do a batch with finely chopped chilli & grated lemon zest - really good on veg & very handy to have in the freezer along with anchovy breadcrumbs.

I keep a tube of paste in the fridge too if something needs it along the way - I really miss the anchovy sauce I always bought in that old-fashioned bottle shape - can't think of the name of it now - it hasn't been on the shelves for years but was much better than the paste.
I haven't heard of anchovy ketchup!

This is the one I use https://www.whitmoreandwhite.co.uk/geo- ... y-ketchup/ and the mushroom version. That said my current bottle is a couple of years old so I've not tried to buy it recently.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Yikes! For little more than a tenth the price this is the tube

http://www.camisa.co.uk/anchovy-paste-in-tubes

[liketocook Profile]

You can get it cheaper (£2ish) I just pulled up the first image I found.

[cherrytree Profile]

Oh how I miss the old Burgess’s anchovy essence. There really isn’t anything like it. It was gorgeous on toast and for adding to things and can anyone else remember the writing on the label- sort of late 18th - early 19th century style? It was lovely.
Now I make do with little tins and in normal times a tube from Booths but as I’m trying to be responsible, a trip to Keswick is just not on.