by Chef Kevin Weeks

Americans, as a whole, aren’t fond of anchovies. They’re either too fishy, too salty, or both. And the fact of the matter is that most preserved anchovies are fishy and salty. But the wonder of anchovies is they can be an almost undetectable ingredient in many savory dishes bringing exceptional depth and richness, without adding fishiness or significant salt.

Anchovies are high in a flavor component called umami (a Japanese word meaning “good taste”), which is one of the five tastes we have taste buds for—along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Umami makes savory dishes more savory and occurs in tomatoes, red meat, and aged cheese among other things.

I first discovered the wonders of anchovies some 15 years ago after buying a tube of anchovy paste for a recipe. A few days after using it in the recipe I’d bought it for I made a tomato sauce for pasta and, after tasting the sauce, something prompted me to add a squeeze of anchovy paste. The sauce was transformed. I couldn’t taste the anchovy, but the sauce was simply “bigger” in my mouth. It was wonderful and I thought I’d made a great discovery. I later learned it’s a common ingredient in Italian red sauce. So much for my genius.

Nevertheless, these days I wouldn’t dream of not having both anchovies and anchovy paste in my fridge. I use the paste in all tomato sauces and frequently add a squirt to stews and soups—particularly fish stews and soups such as clam chowder and cioppino but also lamb stew and beef pot pie.

I buy the fillets in a jar of brine. I mince them and sauté them with garlic over low heat (the anchovies melt while the garlic gently browns) and then sauté beans or greens in them or toss cauliflower or broccoli with the flavored oil and roast the veggies. Feel free to toss some herbs into the mix.

Start conservatively by adding just a teaspoon of anchovy paste to your tomato sauce or using a single fillet with sautéed beans, and work up until you have a feel for how this ingredient works. And believe me, anchovies work magic!