The other day while I was in a nice
restaurant, I overheard someone order "liver, medium rare."
Now that's strange. I've had a lot of weird foods in my life, and
so I've tried to remember if there were any I didn't like. I recalled
the time I was asked to taste-test earthworm dishes for a nutrition
research project at the University of Las Vegas. Earthworms are high
in protein. Believe it or not they weren't bad (but then they weren't
served fresh, they were dried and ground into flour). Once at a party
I attended, the host served chocolate ants and grasshoppers. Again,
not bad. But then anything covered with chocolate will probably pass
a taste-test with me. I like food, any food, so much that remembering
something I didn't like was tough. Then, out of the depths of taste
bud hell, came a repressed memory of a terrible sushi moment.
Anything
covered with chocolate will probably
pass a taste-test with me.
I could see his face smiling at me behind the sushi bar. "I have
a surprise just for you," he said. I put it in my mouth. It was
gritty in texture and then the taste…I now know what the water
in a cesspool tastes like-sea urchin eggs! It was a week before my
taste buds recovered.
The one ingredient that sends a lot of people running is that intense
little fish called the anchovy. But think about it: if you learn to
like them, you'll never have to share your pizza again! Here are some
dishes to try with this fish that has so many people intimidated.
Even anchovy haters should give them a try. There's a puttanesca sauce
that is great with thin spaghetti, an anchovy spread, and a couple
of simple but unique pasta sauces.
Puttanesca
Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can (2 oz.) anchovy fillets, drained
1 jar of Classico pasta sauce (any tomato-based variety)
1 jar (2 1/2 oz.) capers, drained
1 1/2 cups of imported black olives, coarsely chopped
Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Place the oil, anchovies and garlic in a medium-sized saucepan. Mash
thoroughly to form a paste. Add the pasta sauce, capers and olives.
Stir and heat to simmering over medium heat. Reduce to low and simmer
uncovered for one hour, stirring occasionally. Season with pepper.
I
could see his face smiling at me behind the sushi bar.
"I have a surprise just for you," he said.
Here
are a couple of fast and tasty sauces. Some of you may think I am
crazy when you read the second one, but it's really good.
Anchovy
Spread for Garlic Toast
Ingredients
12 anchovy fillets, drained
2 teaspoons of capers
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Instructions
Using a fork, mash the anchovies in a small bowl. In another small
bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together. Add to the anchovies
and mix until a paste has formed. Slice good bread of your choice.
Cover each slice with butter and thin slivers of garlic. Optional
toppings could be added, such as Parmesan cheese or red pepper flakes.
Place bread under a broiler until toasted. Cover the anchovy spread
on the toast and enjoy.
Anchovy-Garlic
Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
1 can (2 oz.) anchovy fillets, drained
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Instructions
Using a fork, mash the anchovies in a small bowl. Heat the oil and
garlic but don't let the garlic brown. Add butter, letting it melt,
and then add the anchovies. Serve over thin spaghetti.
For the second sauce, use a can of sardine fillets (no bones or skin)
instead of anchovies. Don't go "Yech!" You'll be pleasantly
surprised!
