Anchovies
They measure no more than 16cm (6 inches), have a large mouth and live in deep water swimming together in great shoals, their slim silver-blue bodies shimmering as they migrate from place to place in search of plankton.
Fishermen catch them at night with floodlights pointing at their nets, where the anchovies get caught. Back on shore they are sold fresh at the market or they are gutted, the heads removed, cleaned and packed in layers, each one sprinkled with salt. They are left to mature in barrels for about 3 months where they develop their typical aroma. Then they are put in glass jars and covered with brine or they are canned in olive oil.
Anchovies are widely used in the Mediterranean cuisine. They add a special kick to a pasta sauce or vinaigrette. Romans have used them as condiments, like fish sauce is used in the Asian cuisine. Once added to sauces or allowed to "melt" in olive oil their overpowering taste just disappears.
Anchovies are available in different forms: salted, canned or as a paste.
Salted anchovies, preferred in the Mediterranean region, are sold in the markets out of wooden vats or canned. The only problem is that you have to rinse them to remove the salt crust. This adds time to your recipe and calls for less use of salt. Rinse them well and drain them on paper towels.
When buying canned anchovies in oil, your choice should be "in olive oil". The best canned anchovies come from Italy and are on the expensive side, but worth the money.
Anchovies paste in a tube would be the last of my choices. It is very practical, no doubt. The drawback is that you do not get 100% anchovies, but a lot of butter, preservatives and other unwanted things the food industry adds to these products to meet their profit targets.
The Anchoiade, aka Anchouiado, is a Provençal anchovy paste. It's a mix of anchovies, garlic, capers, olive oil and vinegar. It can be used for a number of Provençal dishes from a simple spread on toast, to pizza or seasoning of dishes.
