No One Needs to Know You Put Anchovies in That

Every home cook has a trick that makes everything mysteriously better. This one could be yours.
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Orecchiette with Kale and BreadcrumbsDitte Isager

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You know who you are. You're alone in the kitchen, whisking vinaigrette for a salad. Who's going to notice that said salad dressing tastes a little more...savory than usual? That those simple greens have an extra edge of flavor that makes everyone clean their plates? And you ask yourself: What's the harm in just one small deception?

So you do it. Quickly, before anyone stops in and sees. You pull a secret jar from the back of the fridge, fish out (get it?) a tiny anchovy fillet, and mince it up into a paste. Off it goes into the bowl of dressing, dissolving into invisibility. And you breathe easy, knowing your anchovy secret is safe for another day.

And why not? Of course, practicing this sort of deception on vegetarians (or folks who are allergic to anchovies) would be both cruel and frankly bizarre. But if you're simply dealing with the garden-variety anchovy-hater, then you know their concern is based on nothing more than a fear of rampant fishiness. And when deployed correctly, anchovies have nothing to do with fishiness. It's all about umami.

Don't worry. The lettuce won't tell.

Hirsheimer & Hamilton

Like soy sauce, a couple of minced oil-packed anchovies (or a small spoonful of anchovy paste) delivers a base of deliciousness that enhances other flavors. And though it's delicious whisked into a simple salad dressing, that's just the start of its charms.

Pretty much any pasta can benefit from some anchovy—especially zesty ones made with tomato. Already sizzling some garlic in olive oil? Add a minced fillet or two to the pan at the same time, and watch it dissolve in precisely the same amount of time it takes for your garlic to turn light gold. Then just carry on making your sauce. Just like nothing happened. Except it did.

Another stealthy anchovy strategy? Use a fillet or two to bump up the flavor of already-robust vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, and kale. Basically, if it's a crucifer, it'll taste good with an anchovy accent. If you're making a raw salad and want to keep that anchovy flavor on the DL, mince a fillet finely, then use the flat of your blade to mash the bits into a paste.

Now here's the craziest part of the whole sneaky business. You might find yourself adding a bit of anchovy to foods that are already meaty or savory, like roast lamb, a hearty stew, or stuffed chicken breasts. Working in the anchovy at the outset helps mellow those little fish—you could even throw in whole fillets with impunity—and without fear of discovery. Diabolical or merely magnanimous? You decide.

Looking for anchovy recipes where the little fish really star? We've got those, too.