This week I am bringing to you another delicious and quick party recipe. My silky anchovy spread takes minutes to whip up and has a smooth texture that is somewhere between a mousse and a ganache, it simply melts in your mouth. Let’s see the average party dip do that. Serve this to your guests with some imaginative crudites, toasted baguette slices or even some nice crisp grissini.
Anchovy, its a name that strikes fear into the hearts of pizza lovers everywhere. My husband and I not included. All too often these pungent little fish are mistreated, whether it be the manner of preservation or on an already overly salty pizza, (yes, unnamed Hampton’s pizzeria, I’m looking at you). When an anchovy is properly preserved in sea salt or packed in olive oil they are worth shelling out a little extra to cook with. A good anchovy lends a gorgeous flavor foundation to many sauces, soups, and dishes such as the pissaladiere. Using this much maligned fish, I have made a deliciously pungent, silky smooth spread that I am certain will find it’s way into your repertoire.
I started with chevre, something tart enough to hold its own against the anchovies. Use your favorite, but think tangy. As much as I love hoja santo chevre is just doesn’t work here because of its prominent sarsaparilla notes. I’d use Catapano chevre because of the bold tang and decadent cream. I decided to keep this dish very minimalist, and after adding the chevre and anchovies I only accented it with a few simple ingredients; garlic, parsley and pepper. The result was something wonderful.
This recipe is also incredibly versatile and can be used not only as a spread, but as a base for a potato salad, as a sauce for penne, on pizza with artichokes, as an accompaniment to roasted veggies or even as a filling for pastry, tiny lemon cucumbers or even tomatoes. The possibilities are almost endless. You can also play around with the mixture a bit, I have added capers, and lemon zest in turn with great success. Though, you may need to make some minor adjustments depending on what you choose to add. I had to scale back the anchovies by half when I used capers, in order to keep the salt under control.
Silken Anchovy Spread
8 ounces Chevre, at room temperature
2 ounces Oil Packed Anchovies
1 tsp or so of the Anchovy Oil
1 small Garlic Clove. minced very fine or grated
2 TBS Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
Place the chevre in the food processor and pulse a few times to break apart. Add in the remaining ingredients and blend until very smooth and silky. Place in your chosen container and refrigerate until 1 hour before serving.
Optional ingredients:
1 tsp Lemon Zest
2 TBS Salt Preserved Capers, well soaked and roughly chopped
The zest can be added with no adjustments. The capers on the other hand should only be added after omitting half of the anchovy, unless you want to experience a sodium explosion that may send you and your bp over the edge.
Note: I should note that your result will be much smother than the result in the photo. I was a little impatient with my food styling. oops.
you sound like Elizabeth David describing this! I am one of those in whom the word anchovy strikes fear… I am intrigued by this recipe though — the texture sounds wonderful
Thanks Jen! That is quite a compliment. It is and very unexpected, I think it’s a combination of the room temp chevre and the small addition of the anchovy oil.
I LOVE anchovies! I fear only the shark in a jar… that dorsal fin circling in the jar waiting for you to dip your fingers in is just too scary for words – but the gentle anchovy is a lovesome thing.
I love them in pasta with a slight drizzle of sesame oil and fresh basil and quartered (but not hung and drawn) cherry toms.
A sprinkle of coarse ground black pepper is all that is needed. No salt required.
Griffin, That sounds like one of those lovely simple dishes that is as delicious as it is satisfying. I may have to whip it up for lunch!
mmm . . . the wondrous anchovy.
I am an anchovy fan and this looks like something I will be adding to my repertoire. Thank you for your endless list of possibilities for this recipe. Bravo!
Delicious!
I am craving good food after a week of cafeteria style university food. The one thing you could definately say about it was oversalted (along with otherwise tasteless, boring – pork 5 times that week was tooo much – overcooked and generally disgusting).
Have just added fresh chevre to the list. Always have anchovies in the fridge.
You’re welcome Denise! It’s a delicious job, thankfully I get to do it.
Thank you Debbie!
Your poor taste buds! It is criminal to treat pork in such a manner. I think I’d start packing a lunch.
Indeed, the Wondrous Anchovy… and poor Jen in whom it strikes fear…
Fear not the Wondrous Anchovy,
Fear not the little fishes
But dip your fork and grab a bevy
And dip ‘em in yer dishes.
They will salt yer dishes good
They will feed yer wishes
Sing savoury in likelihood
An’ give yer tastebuds kishes!
In your foods the fiendly shark
Will snap and bite most cruel
The anchovy’s fit for lights not dark
The shark’s fit only for gruel!
Then fear not the Wondrous Anchovy
He meaneth you no harm,
For all your dishes will be groovy
And bring you savoury balm.
Here endeth the lesson… thank God…!
They did give us packed lunches…. which were worse than the cafeteria meals!!
You can imagine the past 2 days I have been indulging my tastebuds to reassure them that I was not going to punish them forever with horrid food. My jar of anchovies is much emptier than it was….. and I had a lovely pork steak with lemon and mustard sauce last night. sigh. Good food is so simple to prepare that it should be a crime to offer anything else.
I’m trying to get into anchovies…I’ve always been a little wary of them but I’m starting to feel pathetic and unadventurous about it so perhaps this will be my entre…I promise to give it a try!
Thanks for the poem Griffin! I’m sure it will inspire many to courageous acts of anchovy cookery. Maybe your next website should be devoted to food related poems!
Debbie, My heart goes out to you and your poor little tastebuds
Laura, Maybe starting with a lighter amount of anchovy and building is the key to changing your mind. If you try this recipe maybe only use a half ounce instead of the two I have listed. This way you can blend, taste and adjust until you have it just the way you want it. Thanks for your comment and welcome!
I’m one of those traumatized as a teen with bad anchovies on a pizza, and have avoided them like the plague ever since. Though your description and photos have convinced me I should give them another try, at least in this blended and adjusted recipe.
Wonderful to see you here again Claudia! I hope you enjoy the modified recipe.