Do you like anchovies? My guess is that most of you would instinctively say no, but you don’t know what you are missing!
Anchovies are small fish, caught in their thousands in the Mediterranean Sea, dried and salted and now usually packed in oil. They are more often used to give a saltiness and depth of flavor in recipes than used by themselves but in some recipes from southern European countries they are used whole, in Salad Nicoise for example, anchovies recline gracefully over hard boiled eggs as though they are sunbathing on the beach in San Tropez. In Asia their version of anchovies are dried and fermented into a sauce called nam pla which is added to many dishes for flavor and salt.
I have temporarily mislaid my recipe for roast leg of spring lamb using herbs and anchovies. I will post it once I come across it but below you will find a recipe for green sauce which can be used to dress up plain grilled fish or an egg salad, don’t tell the kids what’s in it until they have already declared that it is delicious.
Are you already converted? Try my favorite sandwich, thin slices of good whole wheat bread spread with cream cheese and anchovy fillets draped criss-cross on top.

Salsa Verde

1 clove garlic, crushed
6 anchovy fillets
3 tablespoons capers
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped mint
Juice of ½ lemon
½ cup olive oil

There are two ways to make this sauce depending on whether you want a smooth or chunky texture. The traditional way (and my preference) is to create a chunky sauce by mixing the garlic, anchovy, capers and mustard in a pestle and mortar. Crush the ingredients enough to eliminate any large pieces of garlic, add the herbs and lemon juice then dribble in the oil whilst stirring to create an emulsion.
Alternatively for those short on time but with patience for washing up, put everything in a food processor and process for a minute.