MARINATED ANCHOVIES easy and quick appetizer
Raise your hand if you’ve never had marinated anchovies at a restaurant?
They are those appetizers like shrimp cocktail that feel very ’80s but which I believe are an “evergreen”!
I personally adore them and even if they are a humble dish, the intense, tangy flavor of their marinade—whether lemon or vinegar—pairs perfectly with the delicacy and softness of the oily fish, creating a fresh and flavorful plate perfect for any occasion.
An easy and quick appetizer to make in very little time that requires only a few precautions to consume it safely, because like all raw fish it must be handled properly.
And if you don’t overdo the oil, they remain a healthy and light dish rich in nutritional properties both for the vitamin C in the lemons and the omega-3s present in oily fish.
In short, it’s inexpensive, your taste buds will rejoice and so will the scale! No more excuses—you must make these marinated anchovies!
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 SERVINGS
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1.1 lbs Anchovies (fresh)
- 0.7 oz Parsley (about 0.7 oz, roughly 2/3 cup chopped)
- 1 clove Garlic
- 8 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tsp White wine vinegar
- to taste Salt
- to taste Pepper
- to taste Chili pepper (optional)
Preparation
Obviously choose the freshest anchovies and you can decide whether to buy them already blast-frozen (from the fishmonger) — in that case you can prepare them immediately — or to freeze them yourself, gutted, for at least 96 hours in the freezer and then thaw them to use in the recipe.
If you buy them already blast-frozen they will already be cleaned and butterflied; if you buy fresh ones, wash them under running water and remove the head. Pulling the head will also remove the entrails. At this point open the anchovy flat (butterfly it) gently and remove the central bone and the tail. Rinse the anchovy fillets under a stream of cold water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Squeeze the lemons, strain the juice and collect it in a bowl. Add the extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and the chopped parsley together with the garlic clove. Emulsify all the ingredients until you obtain a light sauce.
Arrange the anchovy fillets on a plate large enough so they lie in a single layer. Drizzle them with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and let them marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. After the time has passed, take the fillets, discard part of the marinade (the lemon juice may be too strong if left completely) and place them on a serving plate. Drizzle with a little oil, sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and, if you like heat, a dusting of chili pepper. Let them rest another 30 minutes before serving.
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Notes
Once prepared they should be eaten as soon as possible, also because remember they were previously frozen. In the refrigerator they keep for a maximum of 2 days. They cannot be refrozen. If you have leftovers, a way to reuse them is to prepare spaghetti: once drained al dente, sauté them in a pan with the remaining anchovies. This will create a fresh and very tasty dish.
