Summer Treat Anchovies

Not many fish translate into a summer dish,Usually it's just salmon and shrimp  and possibly cod. Yet there is one kind that goes well with  everything from grilled steak to a fresh salad.It's the anchovy, that silvery, shimmery fish  with its' sweet briny flavor.It adds to both hot and cold dishes  , making it an excellent choice year round.

Anchovies are a staple in Mediterranean cooking from the Riviera to the Italian Piedmonte. In Piedmont they;re mostly a main ingredient in winter dishes namely the delightful hot sauce bagna calda. however one Piedmontese winter dish can easily be translated into a summer one. It is filet mignon with anchovies. For the winter it's the meat cooked in a skillet with butter and then the anchovies are added to the drippings. This is them poured over the beef as a sauce The summer version can be  filet mignon grilled over wood and then with eith, theer a warm or cold sauce , the anchovies are then poured over it. The taste is still the same, a union of sweet tender meat and flavorful fish that is palate blowing.

Of course anchovies also shine in a nice salad. You can create the Provencale classic, salad Nicoise with them and tuna. It's a hearty  and healthy mix where you can improvise  by adding all sorts of veggies along with hard boiled eggs. Peppers and anchovies are another great mix, and a favorite in Torinese cafes. Char green peppers and serve cold, mixed with anchovies ,olive oil and garlic. Anchovies can also be added to just a regular salad to give it more oomph too. The only caveat is don;t mix it with a "heavy" dressings such as Russian , French or Thousand Island.Only have it with a vinaigrette made from olive oil and red wine vinegar.

Anchovies can easily be used either winter or summer. They're great in warm weather dishes from the grill to the salad bowl. Try them for a tasty surprise!