This recipe shows a very common use of
anchovies in the Italian and Provençal way of cooking. I am talking of fillets of anchovies under oil commonly sold in small tins (about 50 gr) or of anchovies under salt (the smaller tin has about 500 gr. of anchovies in it: i keep both sort as I use frequently the tasty fish). The use is as a flavor enhancer.
Ingredients (2 to 3 servings)
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon lightly packed lemon zest
1 teaspoon rinsed and finely chopped cured anchovies (about 2 fillets)
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup thinly sliced cured pitted black olives
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.
Prepare a water bath by filling a bowl halfway with ice water.
Once water boils, add green beans until cooked but still firm, about 4 minutes. Place in ice water bath until cool. Drain and shake off excess water.
In a medium nonreactive bowl, thoroughly mix olive oil, juice, zest, and anchovies; season well with salt and pepper. Add green beans, shallot, olives, and parsley, and mix well; taste, adjust seasoning as needed. Salad can be served immediately though flavor improves as it sits.
Bold: What a nice trick. It helps to keep the freshly cooked beens firm and with their color. To me cooking is these little caring details that make the difference, expecially with fresh ingredients.
She is using shallots, which is very elegant. I might change the aroma of the dish, just by lightly scraping a clove of garlic along the bowl before setting up the salad.
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