Gourmet Appetizers: Marinated Anchovies with Wild Fennel and Aromatic Herbs

Academia Barilla has a very cool newsletter, that we invite you to check out the latest issue and, of course, to subscribe to it. Beside of articles of special interest for all Italian food lovers, there is a regular column for the recipe of the month. We thought it would be a good idea to share it also with you Italian foodies.

Academia Barilla Nesletter’s recipe of the month for the month of October was a traditional Italian appetizer from the Lazio region (the region whose capital town is Rome), a perfect starter for any fish or seafood meal: Marinated anchovies with wild fennel and aromatic herbs.

This cold appetizer based on anchovies is a typical dish of the Mediterranean cuisine, well-known since ancient times in the Mediterranean region, and it is believed to be also an aphrodisiac dish. The marinated sauce made with aromatic herbs is the peculiarity of this recipe.

MARINATED ANCHOVIES WITH WILD FENNEL AND AROMATIC HERBS
An appetizer from Academia Barilla’s Newsletter

Cooking time: 15 minutes
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Marinating time: 24 hours
Difficulty: Low
Serve cold

INGREDIENTS
(serves 4)

- fresh anchovies, 14 ounces
- onions, 2 ounces
- garlic, 1 clove
- lemon juice, 18 fl. ounces
- extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 cup
- dry white wine, 1/2 cup
- wild fennel, to taste
- thyme, to taste
- laurel, to taste
- parsley, to taste
- coriander, to taste
- salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARATION

Carefully clean the anchovies, gut them and discard of head and bones. Place on a slightly greased baking tray with oil and season the fillets with salt and pepper. Put in the oven at 200° for about 5 minutes.

When cooked, remove anchovies from oven.

In a saucepan with oil, brown the finely sliced onion, then sprinkle with some white wine and lemon juice.

Add garlic, wild fennel, thyme, a little coriander and a laurel leaf. Cook at low heat mixing from time to time.

Sprinkle with some minced parsley, orange and lemon zest. Finish cooking for 5 more minutes.

Place the anchovies on a plate, pour the sauce overtop and keep in the fridge for at least 24 hours. This is the required time for an exceptional tasty dish.

CHEF TIPS FROM ACADEMIA BARILLA

If anchovies are marinated raw, the marinating time will be longer.As a typical product of the Mediterranean diet, before serving it is better to leave at room temperature for about 15 minutes.