Anchovies with fennel is a dish from the culinary tradition of East Liguria. Very easy to prepare, it is ideal as a side dish or as a starter.
I found this delicious recipe in an old regional cookery book. As in many of the dishes of Ligurian cuisine, here too ingredients from the sea (anchovies preserved in oil or salt) are combined with products of the land.
Fennel is a crunchy and tasty vegetable whose season starts in autumn and stretches to the spring. When it was common in vegetable gardens, our grandmothers used to prepare it in thousands of ways to avoid wasting anything that the land offered us.
Here the fennel is parboiled and dressed with extra virgin olive oil and a mix of chopped aromatic herbs (mint, basil and parsley) and then served with the anchovies. I used anchovies preserved in oil.
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Ingredients
Tools
Steps
Remove the harder leaves of the fennel. Cut them in half and wash carefully. Then cut them into thin slices. Parboil for a few minutes and drain while still firm (“al dente”).
Allow to cool. Arrange on a serving dish.
Dress with oil and vinegar. Add the chopped aromatic herbs.
Lay the anchovies on top, drained of their oil, and season with oil, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with a little chopped basil, parsley and mint and allow the flavour to soak in for ten minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I prepare them the day before?
Of course! Store them in the fridge and take them out an hour before serving.
Varied doses for servings