BOQUERONES EN VINAGRE (MARINATED ANCHOVIES)

PHOTO: Lorena M.

Hi!

Here in Spain we’re enjoying the summer (well, in some cases I must say suffering the summer). Some good seasoned anchovies and a very cold beer are in fact a real "bocatto di cardinale" (I don’t want to support alcohol consumption –you can have a zero alcohol beer-, but let me say that eating these anchovies with a refreshing drink is a sin). This is a very typical tapa of Málaga where we feel very proud of our excellent anchovies which are called “boquerones victoriano”. When visiting Málaga you can’t leave without taste them both fried or marinated (People from Málaga are also known as ‘Boquerones’).

Now I don’t live in Málaga but I can buy sometimes fresh anchovies. These ones of the photograph are from Barbate (a village in the coast of Cádiz) and they were superb, very, very, fresh (as it has to be…).

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg. fresh anchovies.
• 250 ml wine vinegar.
• 1/2 glass of water.
• Extra virgin olive oil.
• 4 cloves garlic.
• 1 handful parsley leaves.
• Salt.

METHOD

The method is easy but tedious. To prepare the anchovies, proceed in the following way (Pretty soon an "How to…" entry with images):

1. Take one anchovy.
2. Remove the head.
3. Using the nail of the thumb, open the fish from the head to the tail. Eliminate the viscera. Han de quedar los dos lomos del boquerón unidos a lo largo de la parte dorsal y por la cola.
4. Remove the spine breaking it where it joins with the tail.

Once all the anchovies are prepared, rinse them carefully in cold water eliminating any rest of blood or viscera (Take special care about this because the flavor could be very, very bitter and unpleasant).

Now it’s time to marinate. First step, in a plastic bowl with cover (a tupperw… -I could type the brand but I guess I must not do it-) put the anchovies making layer. When a layer is complete, salt it. Once all the anchovies are in the bowl and salted, mix the water and the vinegar and pour this mix in the bowl. The aim of mixing water and vinegar is to reduce the acidity that may ‘cook’ the fishes. The marinate will be slower but more controlable. Cover and put in the fridge for two hours (more or less). The fishes are marinated correctly when the flesh is whitened by effect of the vinegar (whether the fishes are not white after two hours, leave them in the fridge for half an hour more).

After this time, drain carefully the liquid. Put the anchovies in a clean bowl making layers again. Pour extra virgin olive oil until all the fishes are covered by the oil. Cover the bowl and freeze for, at least, 24 h (This is to prevent against the anisakis -the freshness of the anchovies is a key factor-). Once passed this time, preserve in the fridge.

When serving, put the anchovies out of the cold some minutes before eating. Put the anchovies on the serving dish in a aesthetic way. Chop the garlic cloves and the parsley and put them all over the anchovies.

DIFFICULTY

Eliminate carefully the viscera. The final result could be very unpleasant!!

 

Don't forget about the anisakis!!!

OZEMIGUÉ