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Jim Dixon wrote about food for WW for more than 20 years, but these days most of his time is spent at his olive oil-focused specialty food business Wellspent Market. Jim’s always loved to eat, and he encourages his customers to cook by sending them recipes every week through his newsletter. We’re happy to have him back creating some special dishes just for WW readers.
Anchoïade comes from Provence, the southeastern corner of France that butts up against the Ligurian coast of Italy. Along with a sunny Mediterranean climate, the regions share a simple dish of anchovies mashed with garlic most often served as dip for raw vegetables. The Italians call their version, made with both extra virgin olive oil and butter and served warm, bagna cáuda. Across the border, the French like to add capers and a splash of wine vinegar, and while they also use it to anoint produce, anchoïade (pronounced: ahn-shwee-AHD) gets spread onto bread or used as dressing, most traditionally on a simple lentil salad.
Tasted alone, it’s intensely salty and anchovy-forward, but the powerful flavor of anchoïade is perfect with simple, plain foods. The spoonful I added to a humble white bean salad flavored with just shallot, carrot, and mint transformed the dish. The murky brown sauce does the same to boiled potatoes, roasted cabbage wedges, a piece of toast, or a bowl of pasta.
Recipes
Anchoïade
1-2 tins anchovies, about 4 ounces, preferably packed in olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed (chop finely if blending by hand)
1 tablespoon capers, preferably salt-packed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Combine the anchovies (with the oil in the tin), garlic, capers, and olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-low heat. Gently bring to a boil, let cook for a minute or so, then remove from the heat and let cool. Add the vinegar; both the anchovies and capers are salty, so no need for any added salt. Use a stick blender, small food processor, mortar and pestle, or a vigorously wielded fork to blend into a homogenous mixture; the power tools will obviously make it smoother, but a coarse mix from hand blending is fine and likely closer to the original version.
White Bean Salad
2 cups cooked white beans
1-2 shallots, finely chopped, about ½ cup
1 small carrot, cut into ¼ inch pieces
5-6 sprigs fresh mint, chopped*
*Bagged arugula would be fine if you don’t have any mint growing nearby
Cook the carrots in enough salted water to cover until just tender, about 5 to 8 minutes. Or microwave in a covered bowl with a tablespoon of water for 2 minutes. Drain and combine with the beans, shallots, and mint. Stir a healthy spoonful of the anchoïade into the beans and taste. Add more if you like, and if the salad still tastes a bit flat, add a teaspoon of the white wine vinegar. I think this is best at room temperature.