Crispy fried anchovies, seaside style
Fried anchovies are the taste of the Romanian seaside: small crispy fish eaten by hand at the fishing taverns, with garlic sauce and lemon. You eat them whole, tiny bones and all, they turn crispy in the pan.
Instructions
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Thaw the anchovies
Thaw the anchovies slowly in the fridge, about 4 hours or overnight. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels: the drier they are, the crispier they get.
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Make the garlic sauce
Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt into a paste. Mix with the oil or sour cream and 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water until you get a creamy sauce. Keep it in the fridge until the fish is ready.
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Coat in cornmeal
Mix the cornmeal, flour and salt in a large bowl. Toss the anchovies through the mix a few at a time and shake off the excess.
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Fry until crispy ⏱ 3 min
Heat the oil well over medium-high heat, around 175°C: a cube of bread should sizzle right away. Fry the anchovies in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden and crispy. Do not crowd the pan.
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Serve seaside style
Lift onto paper towels, sprinkle with salt while hot and bring to the table with lemon wedges and the garlic sauce. Eat them whole, with your hands.
Good to know
The secret is properly hot oil and small batches: too many at once drops the temperature and the crust goes soft. Wonderful with soft polenta and a glass of cold white wine.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you fry fresh anchovies?
Two to three minutes, in well-heated oil around 175°C, in small batches, until golden and crispy. The no-thermometer test: a cube of bread dropped in the oil should sizzle immediately.
Do anchovies need cleaning before frying?
No. Anchovies are small fish with soft bones, they get rolled in cornmeal and flour and fried whole, then eaten whole, by hand, seaside style. What matters is draining and patting them dry first.
Why does the cornmeal coating go soft?
Oil not hot enough or too many anchovies at once: the temperature drops and the crust absorbs oil instead of crisping. Small batches, oil reheated in between, then drained on paper and salted while hot.
What do you serve fried anchovies with?
Seaside style: with mujdei (garlic pounded to a paste, bound with oil or sour cream and 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water), lemon wedges, maybe polenta and a glass of cold white wine.
Ready to cook Seriosly?
Authentic taste isn't improvised, it's taken Seriosly.
Crispy fried anchovies, seaside style
Crispy fried anchovies, seaside style
Fried anchovies are the taste of the Romanian seaside: small crispy fish eaten by hand at the fishing taverns, with garlic sauce and lemon. You eat them whole, tiny bones and all, they turn crispy in the pan.
Notes
The secret is properly hot oil and small batches: too many at once drops the temperature and the crust goes soft. Wonderful with soft polenta and a glass of cold white wine.
