Anchoïade with Seasonal Crudités

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mortar and pestle (marble or granite preferred)
• •Wooden cutting board or large platter for serving
• •Small serving bowl for the anchoïade

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the anchovies

   Place salt-packed anchovies in a bowl of cool water and let them soak for five minutes. This removes excess salt while preserving their deep, briny character. Gently separate each fish into two fillets, running your thumb along the spine to release the bone. Pat dry with a clean towel.

   Salt-packed anchovies have a meatier texture and cleaner flavor than oil-packed. They take a moment longer but the difference is real.
2. 2

   Pound the garlic

   Drop the garlic cloves into a mortar with a pinch of coarse salt. Pound and grind until you have a smooth paste. The salt acts as an abrasive, breaking down the fibers. This is the foundation. Take your time here.

3. 3

   Add anchovies and build the paste

   Add the anchovy fillets to the mortar a few at a time, pounding and grinding after each addition. Work the fish into the garlic paste until you have a rough, fragrant puree. The texture should be slightly rustic, not perfectly smooth. This is peasant food, and it should look like it.

   A food processor works if you must, but the mortar creates a texture and emulsion that machines cannot replicate. The pounding releases oils differently than blades.
4. 4

   Emulsify with oil

   Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Now drizzle in the olive oil slowly, stirring constantly with the pestle in a circular motion. The paste will loosen and become glossy, holding together like a loose mayonnaise. Taste. Add pepper. The anchovies provide salt, so you likely need none.

5. 5

   Prepare the crudités

   Wash your vegetables just before serving. Leave radishes whole if they are small and beautiful, halve larger ones. Cut fennel into wedges thin enough to scoop but thick enough to hold. Scrub carrots rather than peel them. The skin holds flavor. Separate endive leaves. Slice cucumbers into spears. Arrange everything on a wooden board or large platter, letting the colors and shapes speak for themselves.

6. 6

   Serve

   Transfer the anchoïade to a small bowl and nestle it among the vegetables. Drizzle a thread of olive oil over the top and scatter a few reserved fennel fronds. Set out torn pieces of crusty bread. This is a dish for lingering, for conversation, for reaching and dipping while the wine is poured.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out salt-packed anchovies from a good Italian or Spanish producer. They come in tins or jars and keep for months in the refrigerator once opened if covered with coarse salt.
• •The crudités should change with the season. Spring brings asparagus and young turnips. Summer offers cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and snap beans. Fall and winter call for endive, celery root, and hearty radishes. Let the market guide you.
• •Anchoïade improves after an hour at room temperature. Make it before your guests arrive and let the flavors meld while you arrange the vegetables.
• •A crisp, mineral white wine from Provence or a dry rosé is the natural companion. The acidity cuts through the richness of the anchovies.

Advance Preparation

• •The anchoïade can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and stir well before serving, adding a splash of olive oil if it has thickened.
• •Vegetables can be washed and trimmed several hours ahead, stored wrapped in damp towels in the refrigerator. Cut them just before serving so they stay crisp.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 235g)