During your travels in Spain, you may have tried “tapas” in a friendly bar to relax after sightseeing.
If this is the case, you may have come across the little, delectable filleted fish preserved in olive oil, sliced garlic, and chopped parsley, which is very popular in Spain. This delicious dish is referred to as “boquerones” or “anchoas” depending on location.
Boquerones are small and fresh anchovies. Pair with fresh Spanish bread, ruby-red wine, or Asturian cider for a delicious meal. Additionally, these classic Spanish recipes, like many others from the Mediterranean Diet, are highly nutritious.
Anchovies, like sardines, are oily fish rich in proteins and minerals that protect against heart disease and are “good” for cholesterol. In Spain, especially around the Mediterranean coast, fresh anchovies are readily available and affordable.
I ate a lot of boquerones when I first got to Spain, but I didn’t know that the anchovies were raw. I felt bad that I asked Carmen, my Spanish friend, how to cook them.
Fortunately, Carmen took swift action and rescued the day!
She took me to the local fishmongers, bought a kilo of little fish, and showed me how to prepare them “her way” at home. I rediscovered my love for boquerones and have continued to appreciate them ever since!
Boquerone preparation methods differ among families. However, the fundamental concepts are always the same.
To begin, clean and fillet the fish, which can be time-consuming at initially.
Next, soak the fillets in white wine vinegar or a vinegar-water combination. Vinegar effectively cleans, bleaches, and softens fish bones.
Some prefer to add salt to the fish, while others, including me, believe it is already sufficiently salty.
It should be at least a few hours before you eat the fish. People in Spain either leave them in the fridge all night or for just a few hours. There are families that change the vinegar/water-and-vinegar mix once during the process, and there are families that don’t.
After discarding the vinegar, cover the bleached fillets with high-quality virgin olive oil to keep them preserved. Adjust the amount of sliced garlic and finely chopped parsley to your preference.
So, here’s the exact recipe.
BOQUERONES
Ingrediants:
- 1 kilogram fresh anchovies.
- White wine vinegar.
- Virgin olive oil.
- Garlic.
- parsley.
- Salt is optional.
Method:
- Anchovies, both top and tail.
- Slit down the underbelly and remove the innards.
- Open the fish.
- Remove the center bone by lifting from the tail end up.
- Rinse thoroughly.
- Layer anchovy fillets in a shallow dish.
- Sprinkle with salt (optional) and pour in lots of vinegar.
- Add another layer, altering direction.
- Allow to soak in vinegar for many hours or overnight.
- Pour off the vinegar.
- Very gently rinse the fillets.
- Coat the fillets in virgin olive oil.
- Add garlic pieces and chopped parsley.
It’s great to find something that is enjoyable, economical, healthy, and beneficial to everyone (sorry to vegetarians and anchovies). Enjoy fresh anchovies while visiting Spain!
