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, the food safety side comes first. 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 -4°F for at least 7 days, or at -31°F for 15 hours, before curing. Many 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
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
- 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.
- Rinse the fillets, sprinkle lightly with the coarse salt, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Rinse off the salt and lay the fillets in a single layer in a shallow glass or ceramic dish.
- 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.
- Drain the fillets well and pat dry gently. Arrange in a clean dish in layers, scattering garlic and parsley between layers.
- 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.
- Serve cold, straight from the oil, with crusty bread for mopping up the extra oil.
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