Using Anchovies and Anchovy Paste:

Anchovies:  Anchovies are tiny silver fish that are a member of the herring family, about 3 inches long, native to the Mediterranean and southern European coastlines. They are sold whole, and salt-0acked or, more commonly, filleted and packed in oil (olive oil is best). The most popular and tasty are the ones in olive oil and salt.

Filleted anchovies are ready to use, but always taste a newly opened can of anchovies before using in a recipe. If they are too salty, rinse the fillets well in warm water, then pat dry on paper toweling. The oil in which the anchovies were packed should be discarded unless a recipe specifies otherwise (it will be too fishy and salty to use in the majority of recipes). Whole anchovies require more work to remove the heads, tails, and backbones. They also need to be rinsed of excess salt.

NOTE: If you are not familiar with strongly flavored ingredients such as anchovies, add them to your dish in very small amounts so that you can control the taste and balance the flavors.

Don't be tempted by bargain-priced anchovies because the really good ones are never cheap and the cheap ones are likely to be the really awful tasting ones that have give anchovies a bad name.

If using canned anchovies, don't keep the leftover ones in the tin. Remove them, curl them into rolls, put them in a small airtight container, cover them with extra-virgin olive oil, and refrigerate. For the most intense flavor, use within six months.

Anchovy Paste:  Anchovy paste is ground anchovy fillets ground to a paste, then blended with salt and a small amount of sugar (to mellow the flavor).

1 (2 ounces) tube of anchovy paste = 5 tablespoons or 1/4 cup chopped anchovies

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste = 2 anchovy fillets

Black & Green Tapenade with Goat Cheese Crostini
This recipe and photo are courtesy of Chef Wolfgang Puck, owner of the Beverly Hills restaurant called Spago, one of America’s most high profile celebrity’ chefs.

Caesar Salad
My all-time favorite salad is the Caesar Salad. To many, including myself, this is the King of salads. If a restaurant offers it on the menu, I usually request it when dining out. If you have never experienced "the show" that goes with tableside presentation, you don’t know what you have missed. What an opportunity for a waiter to show off his stuff, mixing and whisking to the delight of the patrons. Caesar Salad is named after chef Caesar Cardini who created it in his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico in 1924. It became popular in Hollywood and is now considered an American classic.
 

Caesar Arugula Salad
Recipe from Food & Wine Magazine, June 1995. This variation of Caesar salad has always been a big hit whenever I serve it. This is a definite "must try recipe."


Caesar Salad (low fat, low calorie & low carb)
Since I am usually trying to lose weight, this is the Caesar Salad recipe that I use most of the time. I serve this to guests and family, and no one seems to realize that I have cut the calories in the dressing. Check out my delicious low-fat version of this salad. Your guests will never know the difference!
 

Creamy Bagna Cauda
This sauce is served in a pot, for everyone to dip the vegetables into. Serve it with chunks of crusty bread and your favorite raw vegetables. It's fun for a party appetizer no matter where you live.

Fried Mozzarella with Anchovy Sauce
I slightly adapted this appetizer recipe from the Genoa restaurant in Portland, OR. It would make a great starter course for your dinner party, or place the fried mozzarella cheese and anchovy sauce on top of some salad greens. Be creative with this recipes.


 

German Herring Salat (Herring Salad)
This is our family's recipe for making German Herring Salad. This recipe is from my children's grandmother, Gertrude Zemp. We make this for Christmas Eve every year. It is very easy to do, and as the herring is already "pickled," it holds up well in the refrigerator.
 

New Orleans Muffuletta Sandwich
The muffufletta sandwiches' nickname is simply “muff.” These sandwiches can be found all over New Orleans from delis to pool halls and the corner grocery stores. It is considered as much a signature sandwich of New Orleans as the Po' Boy Sandwich. 

Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
In Italian, a puttana is a "lady of the night." It is said that it's quick preparation made it popular as a fast snack between clients. Today it is found throughout Italy, although it is particularly popular in Rome.