By
Ellen Ficklen
Special to The Washington Post
Tuesday, January 30, 2001; 10:23 AM
Let
me guess. You hate anchovies. You don't just dislike anchovies.
No. You hate, loathe and despise the little fishies.
It doesn't
have to be that way. I subscribe to the Hunk o' Anchovy Theory:
people are turned off by the salty fishiness they taste when they
bite into an entire anchovy fillet on a pizza or in a salad. No
wonder. For the uninitiated, eating an anchovy fillet straight up
can be as intense as chomping down on a raw clove of garlic or taking
a swig of hot pepper sauce and about as much fun.But
in small and medium amounts, anchovies can enhance the flavor of
a dish, often in an elusive way that even anchovy "haters" find
both tasty and agreeable. In fact, a number of popular dishes and
condiments benefit from having anchovies buried somewhere in the
ingredient list, something many people don't realize. The dressing
for authentic Caesar salad, for instance, is made with anchovies,
and so is Worcestershire sauce. And the fish sauce (nuoc mam) that
frequently flavors Asian food is made from fermented anchovies.
The key to understanding anchovy flavoring is to realize that the
presence of anchovies in food can range dramatically, from subtle
to intense. Small amounts of anchovies can surreptitiously add a
bit of flavor; and even a lot of anchovies when they are dispersed
throughout other ingredients don't add a strong, fishy tell-tale
taste. They just make a finished dish taste better.Once
you discover the pleasures of anchovies, you'll find there are many
ways they can be used, from soup stocks to tomato sauces to deviled
eggs. And many cookbooks provide tried-and-true classic anchovy
recipes, such as tapenade (anchovies, olives and capers), anchoiade
(a French spread of anchovy and garlic), gremolata (anchovies, garlic,
olive oil, lemon zest and parsley), tonnato sauce (a type of anchovy/tuna
mayonnaise flavored with lemon juice and capers that's traditionally
served with cold sliced veal) and, of course, anchovy toast (melted
butter and anchovies on toast).In
addition to these classics, why not try your hand at some other
anchovy-infused recipes? Take the plunge!
Potato Soup With Roasted Garlic and Anchovies
(4 to 6 servings) This
light, simple soup features the mellow flavor of roasted garlic.
As for the anchovies, they're part of the supporting cast.I
found this recipe, which works well as a first course, on a Web
site with a fondness for anchovies: http://www.nearbycafe.com/.4
to 5 heads garlic (about 35 cloves), unseparated and unpeeled 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 5 cups water 1 large onion, peeled and quartered 2 large carrots, peeled and thickly sliced 1 1/2 pounds potatoes, unpeeled, washed and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 teaspoon salt 6 anchovy fillets, drained and minced 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preheat
the oven to 375 degrees.Trim
and discard the tip from each head of garlic. Place the heads on
a plate and microwave on high power for 5 minutes. Carefully pop
the individual cloves out of their skins and place the peeled cloves
in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and stir to
coat. Transfer the cloves to a baking sheet, making sure that the
cloves do not touch. Bake the cloves in the preheated oven just
until golden and softened, 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let the cloves
turn brown. Set aside to cool.Meanwhile,
in a stockpot, bring the water, onion, carrots, potatoes and salt
to a boil and cook until the carrots and potatoes are soft, 15 minutes.Add
the roasted garlic and its oil to the stockpot. Add the anchovies
and cook, stirring constantly, until the anchovies dissolve. Remove
the pan from the heat; set aside to cool slightly.While
the soup is still in the pot, use a potato masher to mash the mixture.
(Do not use a food processor or blender; the finished soup should
have plenty of texture.) Add the pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons
olive oil. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.Per
serving (based on 6): 187 calories, 4 gm protein, 28 gm carbohydrates,
7 gm fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 524 mg sodium, 3
gm dietary fiber.
For more anchovy recipes, see the Food section in Wednesday's
Washington Post.
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