As the late, great comedian Redd Foxx never said, ya gotta wash your anchovies.
Now rinse your anchovies, one by one, under gently running cold water. Your goal here is to wash off any encrusted salt. It’s fine if some of the silver skin comes off, but you want to handle the anchovies with enough care that the fillets themselves don’t come apart.
But only if they’re salted and canned. Obviously fresh anchovies, like the ones I still vividly remember enjoying as snacks at a wine bar in Montpelier (France) more than two decades ago, involved a different culinary mindset.
“Loaded with glutamates and inosinates—molecules that we perceive as deeply savory and even meaty—anchovies can improve the flavor of all sorts of foods without adding any overt fishiness.”
Louisville isn’t near the ocean, so we turn to Eater San Francisco for coverage of The Anchovy Bar‘s opening.
“The Anchovy Bar, the latest restaurant from the team at State Bird Provisions, is finally, officially open,” writes Becky Duffett. “It’s splashy news for fans of this star restaurant group, which also includes the Progress. The concept includes a full seafood-forward menu, which will be especially enticing for anyone who loves oily little fish. This new restaurant dives into the depths of chef Stuart Brioza’s obsession with anchovies, which are caught locally but can be under-appreciated.”
Eater has amazing photos of Brioza’s creations, and while my own mouth is watering just thinking about this array of anchovy cuisine, I’ve no choice except making do with the booty gleaned at Aldi two weeks ago.
Look at those lovely tins of herring. Not as good as “nieuw” near the sea, but they’ll do.
