Fresh Marinaded Anchovies

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Shallow glass or stainless-steel dish
• •1 1/2 to 2-quart heavy saucepan with deep sides
• •Clip-on frying thermometer
• •Small wire spider or slotted spoon
• •Clean absorbent kitchen towels

Instructions

1. 1

   Clean and salt

   Remove each anchovy’s head, drawing the viscera out with it, then open and clean the small belly cavity without splitting the fish into fillets. Leave the backbone and tail intact. Rinse quickly under very cold water and dry well. Arrange the fish in a glass or stainless-steel dish, coat them evenly with the salt, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Turn them once halfway through so the firming is even.

   If the fish have taken an uneven, heavy crust of salt, rinse them twice in cold water after the two hours rather than hoping the marinade will hide it. Ça se rattrape now; once plated, it does not.
2. 2

   Ready the marinade

   Pour the cold Cooked Marinade for Venison (No. 168) into a shallow nonreactive dish large enough to hold the anchovies in one snug layer. Keep it refrigerated while the oil heats. Use the finished component as written, without adding more vinegar; the anchovies need a moderately acid bath, not a pickle strong enough to erase them.

3. 3

   Dry and heat

   Rinse the salt from the anchovies quickly, drain them, and press them dry between clean kitchen towels until no surface moisture remains, including inside the belly cavities. Pour the refined olive oil into a small heavy saucepan with deep sides and heat it to 375°F (190°C). This measured heat replaces the old instruction to wait for smoke. If the oil begins smoking, take it off the burner and let it fall back to temperature before continuing.

4. 4

   Flash the anchovies

   Lower one anchovy into the oil with a spider and cook it for 12 to 20 seconds, only until its body stiffens, the flesh at the belly opening loses its translucence, and the skin shines silver-white. It must not brown. Test this first fish before working in batches of four to six, allowing the oil to return to 375°F (190°C) between them. If a batch remains limp, return it for 3 to 5 seconds. If the first fish colors, shorten the next plunge; the marinade will soften a slightly crisp edge, but it cannot restore dried flesh.

5. 5

   Marinate and chill

   Drain each batch for about 30 seconds, then lay the anchovies directly in the cold marinade while they are still warm. Spoon the liquid over them, keeping the fish in one layer so none are crushed. Let the dish stand for no more than 10 minutes, cover, and refrigerate until thoroughly cold, about 1 hour. Turn the anchovies gently after 30 minutes so both sides meet the marinade.

6. 6

   Serve with liquor

   Lift the cold anchovies onto a shallow hors-d’œuvre dish and arrange them neatly without fuss. Spoon over just enough marinade to glisten the fish and leave a little liquor at the bottom of the dish; they should not swim in it. Serve cold with small forks and bread for catching the sharp, savory liquid. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Fresh means uncured here, not necessarily never frozen. Buy anchovies that a knowledgeable fishmonger confirms were commercially frozen for raw or lightly cooked service. The brief oil plunge and acidic marinade do not replace parasite control.
• •Refined olive oil gives the source formula an honest home equivalent: it tolerates the required heat better than extra-virgin oil and brings no intrusive flavor. Use a thermometer and keep the saucepan no more than half full.
• •Small, even anchovies cook together. If your fish vary greatly in size, sort them before heating the oil and test one from each group.
• •Serve with a dry Picpoul de Pinet or another brisk Mediterranean French white. Do not add lemon or raw herbs at the end; the cooked marinade already supplies the dish’s acidity and aromatics.
• •Keep the finished anchovies at or below 40°F (4°C) and eat them within 24 hours. This is a fresh hors-d’œuvre, not a long cure.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare the Cooked Marinade for Venison (No. 168) through its own formula at least a day ahead so it is strained and completely cold before the anchovies meet it.
• •The anchovies may be finished 2 to 6 hours before serving and held covered in the refrigerator. Turn them once, then leave them undisturbed so their delicate skins remain intact.
• •Do not salt the fish overnight. Two hours firms these small bodies without turning them leathery, and that timing is part of the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 140g)