ISO salt packed anchovies

[emerilcantcook]

I couldn't find any salt packed anchovies after trying two of my usual resources. Milano only had a few cans that were expired. My attempts to buy them from an open stock were not successful. I thought they do sell them by piece, non? La Vieille Europe only seem to stock sardines these days. Is there any other place that stock these?

[carswell]

Milano, Capitol and, in a pinch, Jos & Basile are my usual sources, though I haven't bought any since last summer. La Baia dei Formaggi/La Baie des Fromages, on Jean-Talon a couple of doors west of Fabre metro station/rue Papineau, would be another possible source (call and ask before making a special trip though). www.baiedesfromages.com

[Simon Patrice]

What would be the advantage of buying those instead of oil packed anchovies? Is it tastewise? Is it the texture?

[carswell]

Yes. Taste and texture. Behaviour too: finely chopped and fried in a little olive oil or butter, maybe along with some chopped garlic, they "dissolve," leaving nothing but a wonderful savour perfect for adding an extra dimension to blanched rapini or a sauce finished with white wine and chopped parsley and spooned over the veal chops you've previously sautéed in the pan. Oil-packed anchovies taste paler yet harsher, and they don't seem to dissolve as easily.

[souschef]

I wonder how they would be in tapenade. I have only ever used oil-packed.

[emerilcantcook]

Both. The salt packed anchovies are less rubbery and have a cleaner (not necessarily milder) fish flavor. The flavor is not as "fermented", and they tend to be meatier. But they are sold as a whole, and tend to require some cleaning and washing before they are ready to use. Definitely worth the effort though,

[Simon Patrice]

Thanks! I'll try some when I see them.

[Arktik]

They have some at Tranzo on Somerled -in the very very big can.

[maisonbistro]

I have often bought them from the counter at Milano (where they have the olives etc..)- they were usually in big (I mean humongous) tin. I haven't been impressed with them for a while, and haven't been back - so maybe they don't have them anymore.

[eat2much]

They used to have them at Capitol at the Jean Talon Market but I haven't looked for them in a while.