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ANCHOVY BASICS
Buying: Anchovies are available at the grocery store in small tins and jars, either salt-cured or preserved in oil. Jarred anchovies are easier to reseal, making them more convenient for multiple uses.
Cooking: Upon cooking, anchovies all but dissolve, leaving only a blast of salty umami flavor. Known as the backbone of Caesar dressing and bagna cauda, anchovies can also perk up pastas and tapenade.
THE FISH DISH
While tinned and jarred anchovies are prized for their ability to deliver quick flavor to dishes, fresh vinegar-marinated Boquerones are ideal for eating whole as a snack. Tubes of anchovy paste are a great option when recipes call for smaller amounts.
AROUND RVA
Restaurant Adarra: This one’s for true ’chovy lovers: juicy marinated small fish paired with bright citrus and raw fennel in one of Adarra’s can’t-miss small plates.
Dinamo: With an assertive tomato sauce, bubbly mozzarella and a crunchy crust, Dinamo’s anchovy pizza is the pie of dreams.
Millie’s Diner: An upgrade on the standard, Millie’s Caesar salad is loaded with pine nuts, pecorino, marinated alici anchovies and a garlicky dressing.
“Aside from butter, anchovies are the most vital ingredient I keep on hand.” —Erin Keene, owner of Second Bottle
COOK LIKE A LOCAL
Erin Keene, owner of Second Bottle (Photo courtesy Erin Keene)
Anchovy Breadcrumbs
By Erin Keene, owner of Second Bottle Wine & Snack Shop
“As long as there is a tin [of anchovies] around, I feel confident that a satisfying meal can be achieved,” says Erin Keene, owner of Second Bottle Wine & Snack Shop in Church Hill. “If I'm at the shop without access to a proper kitchen, I'll roll them up on a toothpick with olives and peppers,” she says. “If I'm home and too tired for creativity, I'll fold them onto a generously buttered slice of Sub Rosa sourdough.” Keene shares a recipe for versatile anchovy breadcrumbs with lemon and garlic, which she uses on everything from eggs to salads to pasta.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 jar Donostia anchovy fillets
2 cups fresh bread crumbs (or panko)
2 garlic cloves, minced
Zest of one lemon
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the anchovies and break down with a wooden spoon until they've dissolved. Add the breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper. Toss. Add minced garlic and cook until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Remove from heat, toss in lemon zest. Keep refrigerated for up to one week.
