Fish in a Tube (Awesome, Not Gross — Promise!)

Our eyesight plays a critical role in what we eat. Flavor be damned, if something appears unappetizing our brain perceives it as such and sends out a messages of detest: Danger, Will Robinson!
Which brings me to the subject at hand: anchovies. They’re downright ugly and frankly look like something you shouldn’t stick in your mouth. They rank up there with oysters on my list of nasties and are one of the few items that have never made my grocery list.
However, a desire to recreate a particularly tangy sauce I’d devoured in Italy had me rethinking my stance on those miniature fillets. Puttanesca sauce, or “sauce of the whore” (we’ll get back to that later) is a Southern Italian tomato sauce typically made with crushed red pepper, olives, capers and those dreadfully unattractive anchovies. Its intense flavor comes from the assertive combination of those brined ingredients — in other words, no anchovies, no puttanesca.
Determined to make the sauce, I headed to the grocer to purchase my first-ever tin of anchovies, but instead came home with this.

Yep, fish in a tube.
Anchovy paste costs about the same as the non-smashed variety and was nothing but anchovies, olive oil and salt (the same ingredients found in the tin) and (believe it or not) actually held more appeal than the slimy fillets. I simply substituted one-half to one teaspoon per fish. In no time my puttanesca sauce was ready and as good as I remembered.
Now that I owned the convenient and non-offensive tube of fish paste, I willingly searched out more recipes for anchovies. It greatly improved my Caesar salad dressing (which I thought was pretty good to begin with) and turned a Madeira wine reduction into a gourmet delight.
I’m sad I didn’t have the nerve to search out anchovies sooner, as they are king of that elusive umami flavor. Distinct but in no way fishy, they add a pungent kick that is indescribably delicious.
Oh, and that sauce — there are a few different interpretations, but all attribute the name to the Italian word puttana or whore. Unlike many traditional Italian sauces, puttanesca is super quick and easy to prepare, making it an ideal choice for the “lady” who spends more time in the bedroom then in the kitchen!
Are you a fan of the anchovy? —Karen