anchovies -- the second half of the can

O wise Forumites, kindly share your ideas!

What do you do with the second half of the can of anchovies?

We like to use the first half to make a big Caesar salad using a recipe that has been in the family for decades.

Then the rest of the anchovy can is wrapped with plastic wrap and stuck in the fridge next to the butter. And it sits there. And sits. Eventually, after four days or so of neglect, no one is brave enough to even unwrap it. What a waste!

Now, the original opening of a can of anchovies is a solemn occasion for a wonderful purpose that is important enough to invest in.

But once the can is opened, the second half of the can could be used for any frivolous experiment or indulgence. Can you suggest any ideas?

--Joy

Transfer to a jar?

They can sit for just about forever!
They are salted. I've never had a problem.
I have to assume they are also heated to kill any botulism spores.-Richard

They are great in a tomato sauce.
Chop and mix with butter and spread on toast.
Make a sauce with chopped anchovies, garlic, capers, herbs and oil

Two more suggestions: 1. Mash remaining anchovies with butter and rosemary, stuff under the skin of a capon, truss the bird for roasting, roast until thigh temp reaches 155, rest the roast, then eat. Or, 2. Out of sight of your family and friends, slowly chew and swallow the remaining anchovies, daub your mouth with a napkin, happily discard can.

If pressed, I can probably come up with other ideas, but I've never faced this particular problem.

On the last milk street podcast, they discussed a quick weeknight pasta recipe. Basics were olive oil, anchovies, garlic all cooked together and then chopped parsley once the pasta was mixed in.

Sorry for the limited details. Trying to remember this off the top of my head. Obviously want to season with salt/pepper and maybe some red chili flakes

WhyBeeSea wrote:On the last milk street podcast, they discussed a quick weeknight pasta recipe. Basics were olive oil, anchovies, garlic all cooked together and then chopped parsley once the pasta was mixed in.

Sorry for the limited details. Trying to remember this off the top of my head. Obviously want to season with salt/pepper and maybe some red chili flakes

(not from the podcast) I seem to recall the use of breadcrumbs in this pasta prep from my own experience. Bucatini should be the style used, if at all possible, too.

Darren72 wrote:They are great in a tomato sauce.
Chop and mix with butter and spread on toast.
Make a sauce with chopped anchovies, garlic, capers, herbs and oil

+1, especially the anchovy butter on toast. . . mmmm.

You can use them in tomato sauce type recipes easily. One of the things I do is to take olive oil in a pan and add the anchovies. Heat it up and stir and mash until the anchovies meld into the oil. I then add garlic, onion, tomatoes and cook down a bit. Then I add a green (like kale, swiss chard, etc...), a bit of white wine and cook that down some. Add some white beans, cook down a bit and it is a good side for something coming off the grill.

I do the same thing with anchovies that I do with chipotles in adobo: Spread them out on a sheet of parchment paper, fold it up and stick it in a ziplock back, to be stashed in the freezer. Probably not needed for the anchovies (I've seen delis with open gallon cans sitting on the counter), but I feel safer. I keep my soy and fish sauce in the fridge, but that's mainly so it's close by to my work area.

Bagna Cauda!
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... cauda-2827

zoid wrote:Bagna Cauda!
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... cauda-2827

I hadn't heard of this before, but it looks like something I could make. Thanks for the link.

Just saw this the other day and will make next week when back home
fish spaghetti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGXGxTUJvfw

-

Anchovy butter on toast was going to be my suggestion. I went through a period a few weeks ago where I just wrecked jar after jar of anchovies eating toast with anchovy butter.

Otherwise, any canned anchovies I just stick in a jar and top off with oil, and they'll last for a good while. Or just layer some more salt over them. They ain't going anywhere.

As for other uses, anywhere a good hit of umami is desired: add two or three anchovies to any kind of stew, any kind of tomato sauce, just a simple butter, garlic, and anchovy sauce for pasta, etc. Most of those have already been mentioned, except for the stew. Seriously, it's a good way to amp up any stew.

Thank you to all for the great information and ideas!

The theme of garlic, capers and anchovies runs through the thread. What a great plan for that Sunday dinner that we don't have much time or energy to get on the table! A quick pasta dish is just the ticket.

And I loved the youtube video of the man making the pasta with fish sauce! His enthusiasm reminded me of Roberto Begnini at the Academy Awards ceremony, We also have a couple of cans of King Oscar sardines in the pantry. Maybe they could stand in somehow for the red mullet -- I think there is an idea here.

bravely unwrapping the leftover anchovies,
--Joy

As an aside for the various preps that mash, chop or whatever the anchovies,
I keep a jar of Roland Anchovy Paste in the fridge for exactly these preps and additions.
Gets rid of the oily little cans kept in fridge.
I also keep a supply of salted anchovies and/or sardines.
Great salted fish taste but you do have to wash off the salt, let reconstitute in water and then fillet off the bone.
That's why, the sardines, same flavor but easier to work with.-Richard