Anchovy Salad

This anchovy salad is very simple and quick to make. You only need to boil the quail eggs, which takes literally 3 minutes from the moment the water boils, and toast the almonds in a dry skillet. Green lettuce can be replaced with other salad greens such as oak leaf, romaine or frisée, or with more bitter greens such as arugula or endive. Carefully open the tin of anchovies and pour the oil into a separate cup.

If the almonds still have their brown skins, pour boiling water over them for 5 minutes so the skins swell. Then cool the almonds under cold running water, and the skins will slip off easily with your fingers. Peel the almonds (by the way, they are not true nuts, as many people think). Heat a skillet without oil and toast the peeled almonds until dark golden spots begin to appear. Almonds cool quickly in the air, so you can add them to the salad slightly warm.

Wash the greens thoroughly and dry off any drops of water. The less moisture gets into the finished dish, the better. Tear the leaves into pieces with your fingers. You can use ready-made salad mixes, which are sold already torn. Spread the leaves on a plate in an even layer. Tear fresh basil the same way and add it to the salad.

Lay the anchovy fillets from the tin on a board and cut them into thin strips. Place the fish on top of the salad and add the toasted almonds. The fish is usually slightly salty, so we don’t add extra salt to the salad. If you think it needs it, you can add a little salt at this point. By the way, you may feel tempted to add many more anchovies. Don’t: they are enough for an elegant appetizer, and this keeps the delicate flavor and aroma of the dish.

Quail eggs cook in 2.5-3 minutes from the moment the water boils. Cool them right away under running water and peel them carefully. Halve the eggs and place them on the plate with the salad. If you use regular chicken eggs, one per serving is enough: boil, peel and cut into quarters.

Grate a piece of Parmesan or a similar cheese (pecorino, Grana Padano) on the finest grater and sprinkle it over the salad. You can drizzle the salad with the anchovy oil, or mix the oil first with 2-3 drops of balsamic vinegar. Don’t toss the salad before serving. Serve it at room temperature.

If you use greens with a slightly bitter taste, I recommend seasoning the salad with a little freshly ground black pepper, adding some green onion and a pinch of dried oregano. An olive-oil-based dressing also works.