In the Italian vernacular there is a class of fish dishes prepared for short term preservation. They are pan fried and can be marinated for several days in vinegar or citrus and olive oil,
of the many versions, some of my favorite appear in Marcella Hazan’s Essentials of Classic
Italian Cooking. This is such a user friendly preparation. It can be made several days ahead
and is a stunning starter for any party.
The biggest problem when focusing on the smallest fish, anchovies or sardines, use whichever is freshest from your local monger, is deciding whether go in the direction of onions and bay leaves or garlic and mint. Since it is winter and the mint out on the fire escape is just holding on I decided against that profile. It is also an excellent opportunity to feature a stunning bottle of homemade red wine vinegar.
This dish is so rewarding it is a wonder it isn’t seen on more tables.
The anchovies pictured here are fried a little bit longer than is really needed but eating some of them as they come out of the pan is irresistible when they are crunchy and a little salty.
Marinated Anchovies
I highly recommend using the best vinegar you can get your hands on here. In fact, I
highly recommend making the vinegar yourself, it is easy and extremely gratifying.
1 pound anchovies
Olive oil
Flour for dredging
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 Fresh bay leaves
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Clean the anchovies by first removing the head. Just hold it in one hand and bend back
the head with the other pulling out the intestines with it. Next, slip open the belly to butterfly the little fish and lift out the skeleton. Discard or deep fry for a treat if you
are really thrifty. Rinse the butterflied fish under cold running water and pat dry.
Season the flour well in a pie plate or shallow pan. Meanwhile, heat plenty of olive oil in
a heavy pan. Dredge the fish and slip in the pan. Cook till nicely browned on each side.
Transfer to a platter large enough to hold everything in a singe layer. Pour out the oil and
wipe the pan to remove the residue. Return the pan to the stove and add more oil. Heat
gently and add onions. Stir and cook without browning. Once they start to soften add
bay leaves. Cook for a couple more minutes and pour in the vinegar. Bring to a bubble
and pour over the waiting fish.
Cover with wrap and allow to marinate. Let stand for several hours at room temperature.
If you plan to eat it within 24 hours no refrigeration is necessary, otherwise chill and keep
for several days. Turn them over at least once. Remove from refrigerator several hours
before serving.
Cute little fishy tails :-) I think I'd like this but I'd be eating it on my own. Can't get my Randy to eat much in the way of seafood. Would you share the proper way to do the homemade red wine vinegar?
ReplyDeleteYou made escabeche, I don't know if that's in Italian or Spanish, but the same dish appears in the Caribbean as escovitch, and I believe in North Africa as Scabetch, or something like that. Looks and sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Michele
@ Suzy You are right. I should tell you how to do it! I promise to do a post soon but basically you just need to start with a “mother” and pour about 2 cups of red wine in a jar. If your wine’s alcohol content is higher than 12% add a splash of water. No need to buy a mother – you make vinegar from wild bacteria, but I use a splash of organic apple cider vinegar that has the mother included, such as Bragg’s. So just add some wine to the jar, a splash of vinegar with the mother and cover with some cheesecloth or a coffee filter. It also likes the dark so i use a glass carafe and keep it in an old rice bag. Every 10 days or 2 weeks add a little more wine. Within a few weeks you can harvest some. It is really delicious.
ReplyDeleteAlso – I didn’t mention that I also usually splash a little fresh vinegar on top after the onions bc I don’t pasteurize it I want to have some of the living vinegar included.
@ Michele Yes it is also called escabeshe and scapece in Italian as well as other names. It is made throughout the Mediterranean and Caribbean under many names and variations. In Spanish cuisine I have seen version using chicken and even rabbit. Saveur featured a version from Venice this month! They used Sardines and left the bones intact, which is nice and nutritious but I tend to like the butterflied presentation.