SERVES 4
Tart, supple, straightforward—and so delicious. Be sure to use only very fresh anchovies. Look for ones that are 4 to 5 inches/10 to 13 cm long. Soaked for 3 hours in white wine vinegar, the fillets turn white. Drained, they are then submerged in olive oil with some herbs. Soaking the fillets first in a saltwater solution will help keep them firm and make them a more brilliant white.
1. Fill a bowl with water. Butterfly open the anchovies. Remove the heads and pull out the entrails. Using a thumbnail or paring knife, open the anchovies along the stomach. Using a thumbnail, loosen and then remove the central spine. Pick out any remaining bones. Gently rinse under running water and place the anchovies in the bowl of water. The fillets should be joined along the back, but it is fine if they separate into two fillets.
2. In a clean bowl, dissolve 1 teaspoon salt in 1 quart/1 L cold water. Drain the fillets and carefully place them in the bowl of salt water for 1 to 2 hours. Drain, gently rinse the fillets, and spread them out on paper towels to dry. Pat dry.
3. Lay the fillets in a shallow bowl and pour in enough vinegar to cover. Sprinkle with a few pinches of salt. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and marinate for 3 hours. While they soak, swirl the dish from time to time to keep the fillets from sticking together and allow them to marinate evenly. The fillets will turn white.
4. Remove the fillets from the vinegar, drain (but do not rinse with water), and gently pat dry with paper towels. Lay them in a clean dish or shallow bowl and cover with the olive oil. Add the bay leaves, garlic, and peppercorns and jiggle the dish to settle. Make sure the fillets are submerged. Let sit for at least 1 hour before serving.
5. To serve, remove the fillets and lay them on a plate. Spoon over a touch of the oil. Add a pinch of salt and grind some pepper over each fillet.
NOTE: If using fresh sardines, clean, scale, and fillet following the directions on page 332.
