Another cute, coquettish, and lip-smacking hors d’oeuvre to serve with drinks, but be-warned, since it is best eaten with one’s fingers, it is going to be messy so do make sure your least precious & most resilient cocktail napkins are available.
Much to my delight, I found these cleaned and frozen anchovies (IMAGES 1 & 2) available at Nature’s Soul store, 27 Defence Colony Market, New Delhi, and for a while I would simply deep fry and serve them with some garlic aioli … but to tell you the truth, for anyone who likes anchovies, the deep fried version really doesn’t do them justice, for the oily and dense interior of the fish provides both a wonderful sensation and taste.
And thus, I decided to do a lightly floured and pan-fried version in a mixture of butter and oil, which yields a crisp exterior and succulent flesh … moreover, I have added a little kick to the aioli by way of the addition of wasabi, and am happy to report that it is a veritable triumph, which is why I am teaching you how to make it yourself.
Method
There is only a tiny bit of work required in preparing the fish, and that is to remove the spine as shown below.
First and foremost, after defrosting the anchovies overnight in the refrigerator, is to dry them completely using a cloth towel (STEPS 1 & 2). Then where you see a natural divide down a part of the centre (STEP 3), take a sharp knife you and run it right down the centre without cutting through the fish (STEP 4), then gently open it out using your fingers (STEP 5) and draw out the spine (STEPS 6 & 7). Pat dry again and reserve … please note, I am simply demonstrating one portion, but you can pan-fry several at a time.
Next you will make the wasabi aioli and refrigerate until needed.
YIELD: 10 PORTIONS (135g aioli)
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon wasabi paste
- ½ cup sunflower oil
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Gather all your ingredients (STEP 1), then simply break the eggs and place the yolks in a mixing bowl, add the lime juice, garlic, and wasabi and whisk to combine (STEPS 2 & 3). Then gradually add the oil, whisking continuously until the oil is used up (STEPS 4 & 5). Taste and season with a ¼ teaspoon of salt & refrigerate until use.
And now onto the pan frying of the anchovies & plating up of the dish.
For one portion (or up to 3 portions i.e. 6 anchovies), heat one tablespoon of ordinary salted Amul butter and one tablespoon of sunflower oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium heat until sizzling (STEPS 1 & 2). Dredge the anchovies in ordinary flour and then lift up with a slotted spoon to remove excess flour (STEPS 3 & 4), place in the frying pan and immediately turn down the heat to low (STEP 5). Keep rolling the anchovies over in the butter & oil using tongs or whatever utensil you find easiest to handle, for anywhere between 4 to 6 minutes until they are perfectly crisp outside (STEPS 6 TO 8). Then lift out and place on a kitchen paper towel to absorb excess oil (STEP 9).
And now, the final stage, for which you will need your pretty cocktail plates, the aioli already prepared and some Krishi Cress farm edible flowers (IMAGE 3), which you can order from Nature’s Soul store in Defence Colony Market, New Delhi, or online from krishicress.com.
Slightly overlap the two anchovies on the cocktail plate (STEP 10), drizzle the aioli over and around (STEPS 11 & 12), and garnish the crevices with two edible flowers (FINAL IMAGE) … so long as you move quickly, the result is a simply delicious and stunningly beautiful aperitif … ’bon appetit’ folks!
Above: Final Image