Anchovies: My Dish on Little Fish

For years I was one of the many people who claimed not to like anchovies. Though I am not sure that I ever tried them as a kid, I remembered the chagrin caused when my grandmother requested them on her pizza. All of the grandchildren claimed that these tiny fish ruined even the half of the pizza without anchovies.

Then while taking classes at the Natural Gourmet I made a Pissaladière, which is a Provençal pizza-like tart topped with onions, olives, and anchovies. I figured that if I made it, I'd have to at least give it a try. The anchovies were nothing like I remember them. They were salty, yes, but also delicious with a deep – but not overpowering – fishy taste.

I wish I could say that I was hooked from that point on, but somehow I forgot about anchovies again. Then, a few years ago, I began to notice anchovy paste in recipes. It didn’t take long to realize that anchovies or anchovy paste (which is made from ground anchovies, vinagar, salt, and sugar) is in many more dishes then I ever suspected. Caesar salads, Worcestershire sauce, and green goddess dressing all include anchovies. Since then anchovy paste is a staple in my pantry.

I have yet to find anchovy paste in Germany though. I purchased sardine paste and have been using it in sauces, but it doesn't have the salty flavor I want. In Portugal last month I found a few bottles of anchovy fillets to bring home. Lately I’ve been chopping them finely and mixing them into my dishes. I think they may soon replace sherry as my new favorite ingredient.