Anchovy – a small (up to 20 cm) silver fish inhabiting the coastal waters of both hemispheres. It is interesting that there are so many anchovies in the oceans that in terms of the total mass of all individuals, they rank first among the fish on Earth. There are 8 types of anchovies, and one of them, namely European anchovy, turns out to be well known to us, but under a different name – hamsa.
There is such a thing as “anchovy salting”: immediately after catching the fish are placed in a spicy brine for several days, then sprinkled with coarse salt, transferred to barrels and kept in them for four months. It is in this way that the cooked anchovies are used to give a special taste, smell, the desired salinity to many dishes. Suffice it to recall the famous French salad “Nicoise” or the equally famous Italian pizza “Four seasons”. And the Worcester sauce ?!
Today it will not be difficult to buy a jar of anchovies: they are sold in almost all large stores. But be careful when choosing – a completely different fish may be hiding under the name of anchovy. For example, sprat.
What to look for when buying
1. Real anchovies are quite expensive.
2. Do not be lazy to read what is written in small letters, namely the composition of the product. On a sprat, it is usually finely, but honestly, it is written that it is a sprat.
3. We will find the next difference when we open the already purchased bank. Anchovy fillet in the process of salting acquires a characteristic red-pink color. Sprat meat remains white. Sometimes they try to tint it by adding something red to the oil or spicy brine, for example paprika or wine vinegar, but if the color changes, then only on the outside, and inside the fillet is still light.
4. The meat of anchovy is denser than that of sprat, but at the same time it is softer. Anchovy is a very fatty fish, and therefore delicious. In addition, the same “anchovy ambassador” gives the fish a special piquancy and specific smell.