All about Mediterranean Anchovy

Called the "true anchovy" the small, narrow salt water, foraging fish of the Engraulidae family, the silvery skinned European anchovy has richly flavored soft, dark flesh.They are commonly 3 to 4 inch long with finely grained off white or grayish flesh, soft , smooth texture and rich, distinctive lightly oily flavour. Anchovies are silver, slender salty little fish found mainly around the Black Sea and the Pacific and Atlantic, as well as the Mediterranean, where the best are thought to come from. Fresh Anchovies are in season in April, May and June. These oily fish are actually a powerhouse of several important nutrients. These low calorie fish are used for flavoring purposes and also as the ingredient in food seasoning. They are an important part of salad dressings and pizza toppings.

How to choose and store :
A fresh anchovy should be silvery - not blue or dark.Look out for unbruised whole fish. which can be hard to find as they are fragile. Salted anchovies start to lose quality as soon as the tin is opened. It may be better to buy only as many anchovies as you need from your local fishmonger. Look for whole fresh anchovies in French, Spanish and Portuguese markets. Sardines and anchovies are often confused. Sardines have lower jaw protrudes, whereas the opposite is true for anchovies.Sardines are a type of oily fish and are typically larger than anchovies, with slightly thicker bones and a flaky texture. They are rich in flavor with a salty taste that resembles tuna.
Fresh anchovies are highly perishable and should be cooked within 1 day. Once filleted and lightly salted they may be kept 1 more day, always refrigerated

Oher Common Names :

Language	Local Names
Spanish	anchoa
Italian	Acciuge
Danish	Ansjos
Japanese	katakuchiiwashi
Portuguese	Biqueirão, enchova
French	Anchois
Greek	gavros
German	sardelle
Tunisia	Anshouwa
Turkish	hamsi
Russian	Khamsa

Cooking Methods :
Bake, Broil, Pan fry, grill or hot smoke. Anchovies are not good for soups or stews because their flesh is too soft and oily. They are used for making many sauces like fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce as well. Anchovies add a salty, nutty, umami-like quality to everything. Fresh anchovies are to be treated in the same way as sardines or herring, for the purpose of cooking

Health benefits :
Anchovies, being an oily fish, are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, well known for its ability to lower levels of cholesterol in the blood. They are also an excellent source of protein, calcium, iodine, and selenium, so despite their diminutive size they are brimming with health benefits.

• Improves digestive health
• Anti-inflammatory effects
• Weight Loss
• Eye Health
• Prevents Toxicity
• Bone Health
• Skin Health
• Tissue and Cell Repair
• Heart Health

Did you know :
Anchovies are a favourite food of sailors and navigators, in fact, a salted anchovy helps cure sea sickness and provides the necessary proteins to face the day with plenty of energy.

Anchovies and sardines generally aren't interchangeable. Most grocery store canned sardines are cooked and packed in oil as opposed to the anchovies, which have been cured in salt for a long time.

The Pacific anchovy has a long snout overhanging a large, sharklike mouth. Commercial fishers take large quantities of these anchovies for processing into fish meal and oil, though they are good for eating, but bit stronger and more oily than true anchovies. The Pacific ranges from British Columbia to Baja California.

Words of Caution :
Some recent studies have shown anchovies to be quite susceptible to parasites, so be sure to always purchase your anchovies from a trusted source, and preferably if you know where they are caught. The best way to prevent the parasites from negatively affecting your health is to freeze or cook your anchovies before eating them, rather than eating them straight out of the tin as many people choose to do.




References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchovy