Odd fact I think I've mentioned before: I hate anchovies but I love Caeser salad. Go figure. I guess it has something to do with the anchovies being whole or chopped on a pizza and not noticable in the salad. Or maybe there's some chemical reaction going on with the pizza, the sauce, the cheese, and my mouth that makes it taste awful to me.

So today is the day to make or order a pizza with the works, as long as you don't put anchovies on it. If you do I'll have to have an APB (Anchovies Points Bulletin) declared. Here's a recipe from CompleteRecipes.com that includes one with sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and olives (though use fresh mushrooms instead of canned). If you're a vegetarian, try this one from RecipeZaar.

I know, you don't have to be told how to make your own damn pizza ...

My friend the lovely Yukari Rymar took me shopping at the Japanese supermaker last week, and in addition to the okonomayaki which you'll learn all about in my next post, I bravely picked up an assortment of "dried fish snacks" on her assurance they were perfectly safe and that there was no "thing" one was supposed to remove before eating, such as the eye or "inner vein," an anxiety which had prevented me from buying them before.

In case you aren't fortunate enough to have a Japanese grocery near you, these things range from little dried shrimp, replete with their shells and eyestalks, to shredded Squid jerky; also tiny little crabs, where the claws tend to fall apart as you eat them, and... these little tiny anchovies, silver with their big sad, puppy dog eyes staring forlornly out at you through the transparent, attractive packaging.

I brought this last bag into my office and just now my impoverished, half-starved assistant Emily sampled them, the salted dried anchovies, their eyes staring vacantly into the future. She took a tiny bite and wrinkled her dainty little nose in horror. Passing the remnants of the broken creature back to me she declared I had betrayed her trust. I quickly thrust some of my home-made dried cranberry and almond trail mix at her to calm her down, and took a bite of one of these things myself.

 

It was.... Strange.

Today, Ask Metafilter featured a question by someone named OmieWise (great handle, by the way) wondering what to do with a large tin of anchovies. As usual, the MeFites have no shortage of answers. Pizza, bagna cauda and pasta puttanesca come up, of course. Someone also suggested Heston Blumenthal's recipe for pan bagnat, and Jamie Oliver's anchovy pangratatto sounds like a good bet, too. There's also mention of a Jansson's frestelse, a Swedish potato and anchovy gratin. One of the best so far, in my opinion, is the recipe for Brussels sprouts fried with anchovies. Truly a love-it-or-hate-it dish. Personally, my favorite has always been to saute a few anchovy fillets with minced garlic and use that to dress some pasta, along with a squeeze of lemon juice and some fresh Italian parsley.

Is it an antipasto? A side dish? A meal in itself? Peperonata rustica could be all of these things. This savory and tangy saute of  peppers, onions, anchovies, and olives is delicious as an accompaniment to meat and poultry, or as part of an antipasti spread. It's great warm or at room temperature, and can even be spooned over grilled bread for a snack. This recipe is a variation of one that my aunt makes. I added zucchini because I had it on hand, but it's great using just beautifully, multi-colored peppers. Best of all, it's ready in no time.

Peperonata Rustica "Zia Gabriella"

• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 2 bell peppers, seeded, ribbed, and sliced
• 2 zucchini, sliced on the bias
• 3 oil-packed anchovy fillets
• 2 ounces small green olives, pitted (15 or so)
• 1/3 cup of toasted (fresh if possible) bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• parsley to garnish

continue reading for method

Anchovies: you love 'em or you hate 'em, right? I love them, especially when they are the fat, olive oil-packed ones from Italy or Spain. If you love anchovies and want a deliciously different appetizer to serve at your Super Bowl party this weekend, try this twist on the "crostini/brushchetta" theme. It's easy, too:

Anchoiade Chez Gilbert

• 2 cans (each 2 ounces; 57 grams) flat anchovy fillets in oil, drained, oil reserved
• 16 thin slices from a long, narrow sweet) French baguette
• 2½ tsps. red wine vinegar
• 4 garlic cloves, coursely chopped
• 3 tbsps chopped parsley