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Thought anchovies were a joke but they made my sauce sing
I used to skip anchovies in every recipe because I figured they were just salty fish paste. But a line cook at this Italian spot in Chicago told me to try melting two fillets into my tomato sauce. I did it last Tuesday on a whim and it added this deep savory kick I couldn't get from salt alone. No fishy taste at all, just rich umami that stuck to the pasta better. Now I keep a tin in my station for braises and stews too. Anyone else have a kitchen trick they ignored for years before trying it?
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wyatt1351mo agoMost Upvoted
Four bucks for a tin of anchovies when I already got salt and soy sauce in my pantry. I tried that trick once in a marinara, felt like I just added a funky fish taste that didn't blend right. The whole 'melty umami' thing sounds like line cook hype to me, I'd rather just toss in a spoon of miso or a parmesan rind if I want depth without taking a gamble on a tin I might never finish.
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