A rather unique condiment, Anchovy Butter appeals to adventurous eaters and food enthusiasts alike, but it can also be a powerhouse ingredient for home cooks looking for new ways to elevate their dishes.
Anchovy is an ingredient that is tiny but mighty. In the words of Macella Hazan, anchovies have a self-effacing flavor that accommodates itself to any role you assign it.
That’s an essential aspect of anchovies: the way that they can impart depth and complexity to a dish without overpowering it. Despite being a salty, fatty, and oily kind of fish rich, its umami flavor allows it to transform a dish in a quiet way. Most of the time, you won’t even be able to tell it’s in there.
Despite all this power, anchovies are also a controversial ingredient that everyone loves to hate. The idea of taking this compact, weird-looking fish that’s been cured in salt seems to repel a lot of people.
But before you allow anchovies’ unfair bad reputation cloud your own judgment and opinion on the little things, I’d encourage you to put on your adventurous eater hat and give them a try.
They tend to get lost in a sauce, in a soup, or disappear into a dressing. Don’t blame them, they’re only there to accentuate other flavors! Look how selfless and generous they are.
I believe life is full of nuance. Nothing is black and white. And the same goes for cooking: the best dishes are full of nuances.
Why You Should Try Anchovies
Anchovies are a staple in Italian cuisine and are behind many dishes you know and love (I’m looking at you caesar salad). They’re so delicate and tender, they can be easily mashed into a pulp and added to roast chicken, stirred into olive oil, or a pasta sauce.
They are a great source of protein and are incredibly inexpensive. Like I mentioned before, they can be added to a plethora of dishes in an unnoticeable way, so you’re free to add a little bit of protein to your dish without any fear of ruining it.
It helps to think of anchovies like salt: they add saltiness to a dish, so keep that in mind so you don’t oversalt it. And just like salt, anchovies are flavor enhancers, which basically means they bring out the flavors in a dish, making it more vibrant.
Anchovy Butter Recipe: A Savory Condiment You’ll Love
Okay, enough trying to sell you on anchovies. In case you’re made it this far into this post and anchovies don’t sound like a crazy concept to you, I think you should try turning them into butter.
Anchovy butter can be a game-changer for home cooks. Unbeknownst to most, chefs love adding them to restaurant dishes. Having anchovy butter on hand is a quick way to take a dish to the next level. You can add it to pasta sauces, like to this caramelized zucchini pasta. I like adding it to caramelized onions and making a simple pasta sauce.
Uses for anchovy butter:
It’s also a great addition to roast chicken, vegetables and steaks. You can use it to make a grilled cheese sandwich or to simply spread it on toast. During the summer, when I was in Germany, my favorite snack was a simple toast with a lot of butter, topped with fresh radishes and a sprinkle of flaky salt.
It’s such a simple idea, and it doesn’t even sound that life-changing, but in a way it kind of is. When you put together the best sourdough, butter, and fresh produce you can find, wonderful things happen. You can do the same with this anchovy butter and come up with your own toast experiments.
If you want to try your own concoction, some flavors that go really well with anchovies are lemon, olive oil, and rosemary.
Tips for Perfect Anchovy Butter
Making compound butter is as easy as it gets. Make sure to get good quality butter, with a high percentage of fat (around 84%) for better results.
Although not necessary, I like whipping my butter for a couple minutes before adding the other ingredients so it gets light and fluffy. In any case, remember the bust must be at room temperature and pliable.
When making your anchovy butter, taste and adjust the ingredients as you go along. It’s all about your own preferences, so if you feel it needs more acid, add more lemon juice, if you want it saltier, add more anchovies. If you don’t like dill, try adding parsley instead. This is your anchovy butter, after all. Make it your own.
If you make this Anchovy Butter, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear from you and about your favorite compound butter.
Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tbsp dill, chopped
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 cloves roasted garlic
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
6 anchovies, drained and minced
black pepper
Directions
In a medium bowl, add the butter. Using a hand mixer beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. This step incorporates air into the butter making it lighter and easier to spread.
Add in the dill, lemon zest, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, anchovies, and black pepper. Add a little bit of lemon juice.
Mix until smooth. Taste and make adjustments, adding more lemon if needs more acid, more anchovies for a stronger taste, and so on.
Store butter in an airtight container in the fridge. Spread on toast, add it to pasta, chicken, steak, or seafood.
