Britain has undergone a tinned fish renaissance. Once confined to tuna sandwiches and an emergency tin of pilchards, preserved fish is now more popular than ever.
Arguably, none has had as significant a makeover as the anchovy. From fancy delis to small plates restaurants, the tiny fish is making big waves in kitchens across the country.
According to Future Market Insights, the global tinned anchovy market is predicted to rise from $8.38 billion today to $11.83 billion in 2036; Britain is expected to see a 3.2 per cent spike in the same period. That growth is spearheaded by premium retailers such as M&S and Waitrose introducing high-end Cantabrian options; a rise in importers from Spain and Italy; and the growing popularity of the Mediterranean diet – packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, selenium and iron, the oily fish are good for heart, brain and bone health.
This tiny, often highly affordable fish packs a huge umami hit (they form the base of both fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce). Whether as a background ingredient or star in its own right, adding anchovies can liven up many a meal. A few good fillets over silky scrambled egg, a version of the classic savoury Scotch woodcock, is a wonderful dish ripe for a return.
Chefs have led the charge. These days you’re never far from a natural wine bar that features anchovies, often a few fillets on a plate doused in olive oil. For Miles Tuddenham, general manager at Roam in Stoke Gabriel, Devon, the best anchovies “have that richness and depth without being aggressively fishy or overly salty. When they’re good, they bring a kind of roundness and elegance that’s hard to replicate with any other ingredient”.
Tuddenham loves them in anchoïade, a provençal condiment made by emulsifying them with garlic, olive oil and lemon, which at Roam is served alongside rare roast beef fillet and fermented mushrooms. “The anchovies cut through the richness of the beef while tying together the earthiness of the mushrooms, bringing balance and precision to the plate.”
In London, David Gingell, chef and co-owner at Primeur, Westerns Laundry and Jolene, puts anchovies “up there with parmesan for the impact they provide. They impart a really lovely umami flavour when cooked into dishes”. Gingell likes good salted anchovies simply with “a ridiculous amount” of butter and fresh sliced shallots on toast.
He also suggests cooking them slowly with garlic, a couple of thin slices of lemon and olive oil before braising down with leafy greens. “And who can forget pasta puttanesca?”
Here, I blind test 12 anchovy varieties, all in olive oil and readily available at supermarkets, with tins and jars ranging from 79p to £7.15.
Aldi The Fishmonger anchovies in extra virgin olive oil
79p for 50g, Aldi
Not the biggest, these have a strong, almost tinned tuna-like smell, and a dark colour. They’re incredibly salty and a bit fishy, and there’s even a touch of metallic flavour. Probably a bit too strong to have on pizza or scrambled eggs, but a little would go a long way in a pasta sauce.
3/5
Tesco Finest Cantabrian anchovy fillets in oil
£1.65 for 50g, Tesco
Smells a little like cat food, but after that initial whiff, you’re left with a soft, tender anchovy, with an alluring, light pink colour and a sweet-salty flavour. It tastes fishy but in a good way, and you get a good balance of sweetness and acidity.
4/5
Kingfisher anchovy fillets in olive oil
£2.50 for 100g, Morrisons
Doused in nice looking olive oil – an attractive, deep greeny yellow – the fillets are quite dark, with a pleasant smell, a mix of olive oil and fish. The texture is chewier than many, but the flavour is excellent. Very salty, but you can taste the herby olive oil. If the consistency was a touch softer, these would be stellar.
4/5
Morrisons anchovy in olive oil
£1 for 50g, Morrisons
Lots of small bones sticking out of the fillets, which you can’t feel when eating but are nevertheless a little off-putting. These are chewy, almost like beef jerky, and incredibly salty, making them hard to eat on their own. One or two fillets would add a hell of a lot of flavour to a stew or marinade, but not one for eating alone.
2.5/5
M&S Collection Cantabrian anchovy fillets
£1.75 for 30g, M&S
Quite large, big and meaty anchovies. These smell mildly, pleasantly fishy, with a hint of sweetness and the scent of good, herby olive oil. They’re wincingly salty to eat, but you get a nice delicate sweetness coming through. Could be a touch softer in texture, but a very nice anchovy overall.
4/5
Asda anchovy fillets in olive oil
84p for 50g, Asda
These have an odd texture – they almost disintegrate in the mouth like a stale cake – and are weirdly sour. Not much fishy flavour going on, it feels like eating pure salt, and there’s a bitter aftertaste, too.
1.5/5
Epicure anchovy fillets in extra virgin olive oil
£2 for 50g, Ocado
The anchovies are quite light in colour, which suggests a more delicate fillet, but these were anything but. So salty I almost cried. One or two of these could be great for a marinade or anchoïade – or to make your own gentleman’s relish – but not to eat alone.
2/5
Sainsbury’s anchovy fillets in olive oil
£1.45 for 50g, Sainsbury’s
Rather fat and thick anchovies, suggesting they’d be good to eat. Though there’s an ever-so-slightly cat foody smell, these weren’t too salty or overly fishy. They didn’t stand out in any way, but neither were they unpleasant. Perhaps better for cooking, but a couple on pizza would be nice, too.
3.5/5
No.1 Cantabrian anchovy fillets in extra virgin olive oil
£1.70 for 50g, Waitrose
Very light, an almost pale, reddish brown. Smells nicely oily, and almost quite fresh, like it hasn’t been overly salted – some smell funky and fermented. A rather chewy texture but a mild, pleasingly fishy flavour. Could eat these on nice bread with olive oil.
4.5/5
Coop anchovies
£1.60 for 50g, Coop
Very thin, dainty strips, these were tender fillets that were highly salty, but not to the extent overpowering any sweetness or fishiness, and there’s a nice hint of acidity, perhaps from the olive oil. I might not eat these alone, but on bread or pizza? Absolutely.
4/5
Fish4Ever anchovy fillets in extra virgin olive oil
£6.95 for 95g, Ocado
A deep, almost purply brown colour, these were chewy and had an almost meaty flavour. Not overly salty, with nice tasting olive oil, these were a great all-rounder, although quite expensive.
3.5/5
Ortiz anchovy fillets
£7.15 for 47.5g, Ocado
Pale and tender, almost like they’re cooked rather than salted. This gave a lovely, soft, buttery, tender texture – by far the best consistency of the lot. The flavour was also sweetly buttery, not overly salty, something I could eat several of with a glass of wine. Expensive, yes, but absolutely delicious.
5/5
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