Green Anchovy Butter

Name: Green Anchovy Butter
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2/3 cup
Ingredients: 1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature; 5 anchovy fillets in olive oil; 1/2 (packed) cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1/2 lemon, finely zested, plus 1 teaspoon juice; 1 garlic clove, minced; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Recipe from Anna Hezel

Adapted by Christina Morales

Updated June 4, 2024

Green Anchovy Butter — Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 4(168)
Comments: Read comments

Straight out of the tin, anchovies can be assertive, but their umami flavor can be judiciously harnessed, adding depth to Caesar salad dressing, pasta puttanesca and other recipes. Affordable and accessible, jarred or canned anchovies can be a great introduction to tinned fish. This butter, from Anna Hezel’s cookbook, “Tin to Table: Fancy, Snacky Recipes for the Tin-thusiasts and A-fish-ionados” (Chronicle Books, 2023), makes good use of anchovy’s salty notes, taming it with fresh herbs and lemon to create a bright green spread that has many uses: Baste it over a seared steak, toss it with pasta or roasted vegetables, melt it and toss with fresh popcorn, or cook an egg in it. Anchovies can provide a salty, funky undercurrent or a whack of flavor; they may be diminutive but their presence is substantial. —Christina Morales

Featured in: For Tinned Fish Obsessives, ‘Affordable Luxury’ Comes in a Can

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Ingredients

Yield:⅔ cup

½cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), at room temperature
5anchovy fillets in olive oil
½(packed) cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
½lemon, finely zested, plus 1 teaspoon juice
1garlic clove, minced
¼teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a blender or mini food processor, combine all the ingredients and whir until the parsley and anchovies appear to be evenly distributed throughout the butter, scraping down the sides as needed. (Alternately, you can chop the parsley very finely, mash together the garlic and chopped anchovies until a paste forms, then stir all the butter ingredients together until combined. You won’t get such bright green results, but it will still taste delicious.) Taste, and season with more pepper if desired. Store, refrigerated, in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

Ratings

4 out of 5

168 user ratings

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Comments

Mx.Sofie1 year ago

Sounds great. I went to the fast assemble version. Layer tartine as follows. Rub raw garlic on the toast. Butter the toast. Lay several fillets on top of butter. Grind a bit o pepper. Cilantro/parsley chopped coarse Halve a tomato and squeeze out a juicy tomato over greens.FUN!! (Eat skin and hard pulp on the side). Squeeze of lemon. Drizzle Evoo Sprinkle Maldon salt Bottle of Viogner is nice with this Umami goodness

Fiasco1 year ago

I whipped this together in a bowl with a tined fork (and a bit of elbow grease), avoiding the mess left over in a blender or food processor.

Heather1 year ago

YUM!!!YUM YUM!! When I taste tested this I immediately began to brainstorm. “How can I incorporate this delicious buttery goodness into sauces, slather on a grilled steak, etc etc

marina1 month ago

can I do this with dill instead? my garden is busting with it. looking for creative uses

Courtney8 months ago

This is great! I will probably always have some on hand. Used the whole tin of anchovies. The blender was a pain. Cuisinart mini chop would be best.

Heidi1 year ago

Ess. It does freeze wonderfully!

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