Hello friends of Paulina Cocina! How are they? Have you seen all the recipes I recommend this week? From today the anchovies in vinegar will become one of them.
Mediterranean cuisine has jewels that are really worth discovering. A clear example are the anchovies in vinegar. Easy and versatile, with many benefits for the body and conservation capacity, these little fish are the ideal appetizer.
About the anchovies in vinegar
What are they?
The anchovy is a small blue fish that is caught in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. It appears in the period between April and September.
This traditional tapa is made with anchovies, very popular in Spain: the anchovies in vinegar. There is never a lack in the houses of those who know how to make them at home since it is an easy recipe that gets you out of any trouble in a frugal meal or is used as an appetizer.
The anchovies in vinegar are a very appetizing food that has few ingredients and the only thing that takes time is the maceration of the fish.
What care should we have when eating anchovies in vinegar?
Anchovies in vinegar have many benefits, but their consumption must also be taken with care. Because it is a saltwater fish that is eaten raw, it contains a bacterium that can be dangerous to health. Vibrio vulnificus is a common bacterium in saltwater fish.
It can infect the skin of the person handling the fish and can cause illness when ingested. If this happens, the most common disease is septicemia.
How to accompany the anchovies in vinegar?
Because anchovies in vinegar are a simple, quick and infallible appetizer, it is not difficult to think with what to combine them. Let’s look at some options.
They are some very adaptable tops so we can serve them with crispy potato chips, olives, cheeses or simply with other tapas such as patatas bravas, tortillas or empanadas. We can also serve them with a delicious appetizer like fish and ginger balls.
As for drinks, what I recommend is to combine them with a cold beer or white wine. Due to the serving temperature and the pairing in the mouth, I do not recommend combining the anchovies in vinegar with red wine.
Anchovies in vinegar recipe
- Yield: 6 personas.
- Preparation time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 100 ml of vinegar
- 1 kg of anchovies
- 5 garlic cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil with
- Salt to taste
- parsley to taste
How to make anchovies in vinegar
- Clean the anchovies well, pulling the head and spine to separate the loin from the fish.
- Wash each loin without guts and dry well with a cloth. Arrange one next to the other on a plate or deep dish. Cover them with cold water and ice cubes.
- Leave 2 hours in the fridge so that they bleed and remain white. Remove from the fridge and wash again.
- Cover the anchovies with pure vinegar or use a third of water and two thirds of vinegar.
- Let the anchovies marinate in pure vinegar for 45 minutes or for 3 hours if we do it with diluted vinegar.
- Drain the fish again and place in a tupperware container.
- Cover with oil and freeze for 48 hours. This process will help us avoid the risks of anisakis. Once this time has elapsed, defrost the anchovies.
- Remove the oil. Reserve.
- Arrange the anchovies on a plate or platter in an orderly manner.
- Top with a few tablespoons of vinaigrette and sprinkle with more chopped parsley.
Ingredients for the vinaigrette
- 2 garlic cloves
- A bunch of finely chopped parsley
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of vinegar
How to preserve anchovies
If the anchovies in vinegar are homemade, can be kept in the fridge at a temperature of 3° to 5°C, for about a week. For this they should be kept in a tightly closed glass jar and well covered with oil.
In the case of commercialized anchovies in vinegar, once opened, they can be kept in the refrigerator for between 6 and 9 months. It will also depend on the expiration date on the container.
If we want to freeze them after preparing them in oil
- Use a tupperware suitable for the freezer with hermetic closure.
- Freeze at -18°C to prevent the low temperature from altering the product.
If we want to freeze them in the step prior to the oil
- Use a freezer bag with hermetic closure.
- Spread plastic wrap over a fountain.
- After washing the anchovies that were in vinegar, arrange them on the film.
- Make a layer of anchovies and put chopped garlic and parsley on top.
- Add a splash of extra virgin olive oil.
- Repeat the layers until you finish with the ingredients.
- Close the film well and put in the bag to freeze.
- Freeze at -18°C.
Source: www.paulinacocina.net
