Every summer, I learn a few new things from my mom. While the kids learn french, I learn homemaking. I even dream that these new tricks will eventually "offset" the carbon emissions of my trip over time ;).
Last year, my mom showed me how to salt pack (cure) anchovies. Under her direction, I proudly prepared my 1st jar of anchovies. A few weeks later, Scott was flying back to the US, the salt packed anchovies carefully wrapped in his undershirts, which I now understand to be a "no-no" for US customs. Once home, a nice surprise awaited him upon unzipping his suitcase ... You guessed it: The juice from the anchovies had leaked all over (and I was not there to wash my hubby's clothes).
This summer around, I turned down the anchovies at the fish market, realizing that my frivolous ideas tend to annoy my sweet husband. But a few weeks upon my return, I went to Fish, a local fish market, looking for them. The store happened to have just cleaned a whole bunch and did not object to filling my mason jar: I came home with the biggest smile on my face and went right to work recollecting my mom's teachings.
INGREDIENTS:
- Anchovies
- Coarse sea salt (I also had Himalayan, so I mixed them)
RECIPE:
- Remove the head and guts of the anchovies and rinse
- In a jar, pack alternate layers of salt and anchovies (start and end with a thick layer of salt).
Seal and refrigerate for three weeks before consuming (some of the salt will melt and turn into brine)- When ready to eat, reach for an anchovie, peel its flesh off the bone under running water (compost the bone and
water your plants with the collected water) and soak until de-salted to your taste (a few minutes). We like them in our salads or on our pizzas.
As you know it, I love recipes that call for only a couple of ingredients. I have found that homemade anchovies are not only easy to make, they also save on the transportation and recycling of the store-bought kind, avoid our exposure to BPA from lined cans, support local / sustainable business, and easily transfer the homemaking knowledge from my mom to my kids. Something, that is sadly getting lost through consumerism and our disposable society.
This post makes me SO happy. What could be nicer than salty, yummy home-cured anchovies that are also ZW!? Made my day.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is great! I've been trying to find somewhere in my area that sells large jars of anchovies (to avoid cans and BPA), but could only find a tiny and insanely expensive jar at WFM.
ReplyDeleteNow I just need to find a fish market that sells anchovies!
Did you post the vinegar recipe? Both sound great!
ReplyDeleteI would love to see more recipes like this! I get the feeling that some things can't be done outside the canning/ packaging factory and settle for infrequently cycling it into my diet to reduce waste. This actually gives me a bit of hope that whatever I think I have to buy, I really have the option of making. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't water with the salt run-off, it may dehydrate your plants.
ReplyDeleteThe anchovies look wonderful however.
Lovely! I love this anchovy recipe-been waiting for a post just like this....can't believe it is so easy. I think my husband and I are going to fight over who gets to try it out first...
ReplyDeleteThanx
compliments to both , the creative cook and the patient husband...yes, beware the use of salt in the garden, it may leach out minerals from healthy plants...
ReplyDeletec' est chouette cette recette! merci..
Hello, I was wondering if you took any items on board to France that are normally supposed to be in a plastic, ziploc bag such as liquids and if so, how did you deal with it? I have an upcoming trip and I wanted to take no luggage except my carry on including my toiletries(i.e. my homemade castile shampoo which I am very proud of :D and conditioner) and I would much rather avoid the plastic, ziploc bag. Thanks in advance:)
ReplyDeleteNEW DISCOVERY! after simmering chicken carcasses for 12 hours to make chicken stock, the bones get pretty soft, soft enough to smash with your fingers. rather than throwing them away this time (our city doesn't compost meat scraps) i put them into our cuisinart and - ta da! - they were reduced into the consistency of gritty pate. the texture isn't very appealing to people, but it would make excellent dog food. which is exactly what i'm going to use it for. five carcasses don't make a lot, only enough for one meal for our two dogs, but the fact that nothing gets thrown away makes me really happy.
ReplyDeletewell done on reducing your packaging!!
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous
ReplyDeleteRe: packing liquids in a ziploc bag for air travel
I'm a flight attendant and I suspect there isn't a way to get around having to use a plastic bag for your liquids. I've seen people in the line-up bring out their sole tube of lotion and security personnel insist it has to be in a baggie (and indeed, have bags on hand in case people don't have their own). I had purchased reusable bags listed as "airport security friendly" but they were never accepted at any of the airports I tried to use them at (and I was in uniform, wearing my security clearance badge).
My best recommendation is to just take good care of the ziploc bag and reuse it as long as possible. I've been using the same ziploc freezer bag (medium size, I think) for my liquids for at least a year now (and I fly about 15 days each month). Its not zero waste but it was the closest I could get.
@Maggie it sounds to me like it would use an enormous amount of energy to simmer chicken carcasses for 12 hours and then to use a blender to blend them. Also, just wondering if this would actually be considered nutritious for a dog. I think I would check with a vet or a specialist in dog nutrition before giving this to my dog. Don't want to put a damper on a good idea but just wondering.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nadine and Cayce for your comments re:salt. I should have been more clear in the post (and will correct it): I have a large stainless tub in my sink to collect rinse water throughout the day. When the tub is full we water the plants with it. Considering the large amount of water and in comparison to the small amount of salt, I don't think the highly deluted levels of salt would arm the plants.
ReplyDeleteMaggie: I aggree with Susan on the bones. I considered doing this myself before having city compost, I researched ways of using them and was interested in using bone meal as a fertilizer, but could not bear cooking them for 12 hours (not even for 6hrs, with a pressure cooker). I opted for freezing and dropping off my bones into the closest "bone accepting" city compost, on my way to an errand, instead.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous re: travel.
ReplyDeleteWhen I travel to/from France, I check in my carry-on. But Scott has a baggie for liquids (for his contact lens solution) that he has been using on business trips for 3 years, from before we started Zero Waste. Not sure yet what method he'll adopt when the bag gives out, probably a stronger clear cosmetic pouch from the thrift store.
@ Susan d: C'mon, not nutritious? Dogs eat poop.
ReplyDelete@Maggie/Susan/4Real: I can't speak to the energy/effort side of things, but I can tell you that bone is not only nutritious for dogs, it should be part of their daily diet – it contains exactly the right calcium/phosphorus ratio they need.
ReplyDeleteWhole bones are obviously the best, as they also clean the dog's teeth and provide some roughage that helps keep the anal glands working nicely (sorry, TMI?), but bone meal/mush is fine too.
This article by a guy with a PhD in chemistry gives more detail: http://k9joy.com/dogarticles/dogfood01cap.pdf
My dog will also eat plastic and poop if she can get her mouth on it. That does not make it nutritious! Good thing we avoid plastic as much as possible.
ReplyDeletei have to admit, i'm getting a kick out of the poop discussion...
ReplyDeleteif we had composting that accepted bones and meat scraps, i'd put the chicken bones in there. but given that it's a 45 minute drive (round trip) to take them to the closest city that does compost them, i'd rather simmer them. simmering helps heat our house and provides a nutritious treat for our dogs (as well as a very nutrient-rich stock for us).
since i'm making the chicken stock anyway, i might as well go on and make the chicken meal (which is what it is). the stock takes 6 hours to make. an additional 6 hours of cooking averaged out over a month is equivalent to having the stove on for an extra 12 minutes per dayrunning the cuisinart for all of 30 seconds to reduce them into a paste isn't such a hassle, either.
at some point i'm going to do the math but i'm pretty sure it's more energy efficient to use a pressure cooker rather than a stovetop. i just haven't gotten around to it. i've read that adding apple cider vinegar (anywhere from 1t to 2T, depending on what old-timey recipe you're using) can also help with leaching minerals out of the bones, perhaps softening them up more quickly and reducing cooking time (thus saving energy!)...