Anchovy experiment

[Guest guest]

Awhile back I said I was trying to make my version of " canned anchovies " . Mind

you I LOVE canned anchovies, even though most folks, I know, don't, even on

pizza. But, I just adore the salty little critters. The only problem is that

they are rather pricey: for one little teeny jar it's like $4.

So, I read a website describing how they are traditionally made, and decided to

make my own. I didn't have any " anchovies " handy, fresh ones at least, but our

local market carries fresh smelt regularly (or thawed ones that have been

frozen, which is likely better from a parasite point of view).

I took the whole smelt and buried them in sea salt. First I put a layer of salt

at the bottom, then some smelt, separated by 1/2 inch or so, then another layer

of salt. I cheated and used one of those Japanese " vegetable presses " (plastic),

but if one wanted to do it right they'd use a wooden box with rocks or some

other weight on top, or a glass jar. Then I let them set for a couple of months

on a shelf in the garage.

I unearthed one smelt the other day, rinsed it, and cut it into peices (bones

and all, I like bones). It tastes marvelous, just like canned anchovies! I put

the rest of the peices in a jar covered with olive oil, and put them in the

fridge for snacking.

Anyway, it's pretty much the same routine as for lardo, but even easier. If you

like canned anchovies!

-- Heidi Jean