Boquerones en Vinagre (Spanish White Anchovies in Vinegar)

If the only anchovies you have ever met are the dark, salty, tinned kind melting into a Caesar dressing, boquerones are going to surprise you. These are fresh anchovies, butterflied and cured briefly in vinegar until the flesh turns opaque and white, then bathed in olive oil with garlic and parsley. They are mild, clean-tasting and briny in the best way, the kind of tapa that disappears from the bar the second it is set down, and they pair beautifully with the spanish tomato toast already on the site.

Because this dish uses raw fish, I want to be upfront about the food safety side of it before the recipe. Fresh anchovies, like any fish destined to be eaten without cooking, need to be frozen first to eliminate the risk of parasites; the FDA’s guidance is to freeze at -4F for at least 7 days, or at -31F for 15 hours, before curing. Most fishmongers who sell anchovies for this purpose will have already done this, so ask before you buy, and if in doubt, freeze them yourself before you start.

Once that step is handled, the actual technique is simple and mostly hands-off: a short vinegar bath, then a rest in good olive oil with garlic and parsley. It is worth making a batch whenever you can find good fresh anchovies, since they keep well and taste even better the second day.

Boquerones en Vinagre Recipe

Prep time: 30 minutes (plus freezing and marinating time) · Cook time: 0 minutes · Total: 24 to 48 hours, mostly inactive · Servings: 6 as a tapa · Calories: ~90 per serving

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh anchovies, cleaned, heads and spines removed, butterflied into fillets (previously frozen per food safety note above)
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, very finely minced
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Confirm your anchovies have been previously frozen to FDA guidelines (-4F for 7 days, or -31F for 15 hours) to eliminate parasite risk; if unsure, freeze them yourself before proceeding.
2. Rinse the fillets, sprinkle lightly with the coarse salt, and let sit for 10 minutes.
3. Rinse off the salt and lay the fillets in a single layer in a shallow glass or ceramic dish.
4. Whisk together the vinegar and cold water and pour over the fillets, making sure they are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, until the flesh turns opaque white.
5. Drain the fillets well and pat dry gently. Arrange in a clean dish in layers, scattering garlic and parsley between layers.
6. Pour the olive oil over the top until the fillets are covered, cover, and refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving for the flavors to settle.
7. Serve cold, straight from the oil, with crusty bread for mopping up the extra oil.

Recipe Notes

• Ask your fishmonger directly whether the anchovies have already been blast-frozen for raw preparation; many will have been, since it is standard practice for this dish, but always confirm rather than assume.
• Fresh sardines can stand in for anchovies if you cannot find them, though they will need a slightly longer vinegar cure since the fillets are thicker.
• Once covered in oil, boquerones keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days.
• Save the garlic and parsley-infused olive oil after the fish is gone; it is excellent drizzled over crusty bread or tomatoes.