Marinated Anchovies

Marinated with zest, heat, a touch of acid. a sprinkling of herbs and a luscious pool of olive oil, the Gjusta anchovies are nothing short of magic. I both purchase a greedy portion to go, straight out of a beautiful rectangular container resting in a vintage glass cabinet in the deli, and leisurely seated in the cafe garden, where they are served meticulously laid in straight lines on the freshest sourdough with an extremely generous amount of salty French butter. 

After my last trip I decided these marinated anchovies need not be reserved as an LA treat and immediately set out tinkering in the kitchen on my return. I feel very strongly that we should all be able to enjoy this delicacy at home, perfect for cocktail hour (on some crackers or thinly sliced baguette or rye bread), as an addition to salads and quite honestly, as my all time favourite solo lunch on toasted sourdough with lashings of butter (made complete with a jammy egg on top).

This well kept Gjusta secret can be found nowhere on the Internet, so here’s my creative interpretation.  Simple as can be, satisfyingly delicious beyond dreams and no actual cooking required. Make theses anchovies in less than 5 minutes, allow a little time to marinade and you have an effortless yet delectable solution for an emergency snack for unexpected guests. I urge you to make these and enjoy them to your hearts content.

Note:

All anchovies are not created equal. You really want he best quality possible here as a starting point. In this rare instance, tinned anchovies are better than the jar version as they are less smooshed and are thus easier to remove without disintegrating.  I also prefer their texture and taste.

I have also made these with the white meatier anchovies in vinegar and while they are good and offer a slightly different flavour, I prefer the regular anchovies in olive oil.  I always use the best quality available – it matters here (Ortiz are my favourite), but depending on where you are in the world, you will have a variety of options.  Get exploring (and please let me know what you find on your travels – I’d love to know).

Feel free to make more than one tin at a time. These will keep in the fridge for 3 days and just make everything better.

Gently drain the anchovies from their oil and place them in a small shallow dish where they fit snugly in one layer.

Add the vinegar, chopped herbs, chili or Aleppo pepper, lemon zest and enough olive oil to cover.

Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes (if you can wait that long) and up to a couple of days.  Although I personally think they are at their peak marinade after about 4 hours.

Marinated Anchovies

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

No trip to LA is complete without a stop at Gjusta bakery, where the tahini croissants are a as essential as their anchovies on toast. For anyone who knows me, they are fully aware that I am also eating just about everything Gjusta has on offer either in their beautiful glass counters or on the menu. But really, I come for the anchovies.

Ingredients

• 1 tin Ortiz anchovies

• 1 tsp white wine vinegar

• 1 tbsp chopped parley (I also add marjoram chervil, or chives if I have any on hand)

• 1 tsp chili flakes or Aleppo Pepper

• Zest from 1/2 lemon

• A good glug of olive oil (or garlic oil if you have any to hand)

Directions

• Gently drain the anchovies from their oil and place them in a small shallow dish where they fit snugly in one layer.
• Add the vinegar, chopped herbs, chili or Aleppo pepper, lemon zest and enough olive oil to cover.
• Allow to sit for at least 30 minutes (if you can wait that long) and up to a couple of days.  Although I personally think they are at their peak marinade after about 4 hours.

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