Greek-style Marinated Anchovies (Marinated Gavros)
The Greeks love their fish and like to keep meals simple – my kind of cooking. Now anchovies (gavros) may not conjure up images of a delicious light lunch to most people. If you’ve had those awful, mushy sad anchovies in a jar, I promise you haven’t had marinated fresh anchovies!
When fresh and combined with the right, basic ingredients these little fish can burst with a tangy flavour that will keep you digging in for more. I should know when we have a tub in the fridge I can often be seen loitering and digging in!
Marinated fresh anchovies make an irresistible tangy nibble, perfect served with fresh bread and a salad for a light lunch #recipe #Greekstyle Click To Tweet
The recipe is so simple, but there is a waiting time of at least twelve hours before you’ll be able to dig in. That’ll give you time to either knock up some fresh bread or to at least get to the bakers for some fresh bread.
Buying Anchovies
That’s almost all you need to make your marinated fresh anchovies. Not forgetting olive oil, as I did in the photograph!
You most definitely want fresh anchovies for this recipe and not anything out of a jar or tin! You can buy fresh, whole anchovies or as I discovered them already cleaned. If you’ve ever sat and cleaned two kilograms of anchovies you’ll understand my joy when I came across the already cleaned version. From two kilograms I would end up with roughly a kilo. Not a lot of payback for the work, but well worth it to make these irresistible bitesize tangy morsels.
They are can often be found in the fresh fish section of a supermarket or at the local fishmongers, but that’s here in Greece. I also only seem to buy them in summer. I’m not sure if that’s when they are in season or just when I happen to prepare them. They really don’t make a hearty winter meal.
Terrible Food Photos…
Food photography really isn’t my thing!… Any tips would be truly appreciated!
The anchovies (gavros) are marinated with salt, garlic and vinegar and left overnight in the fridge.
When the marinating process is complete the fish take on a pale colour.
Fresh marinated anchovies make a really tasty light lunch.
Serves Serves 4-6
Marinated fresh anchovies served with fresh bread make a beautifully tangy light lunch. Not to be compared to anything had from a jar!
12 hr, 10 Prep Time
12 hr, 10
Save RecipeIngredients
- 500gr - 1kg Fresh cleaned anchovies
- Vinegar to cover - I use apple, but use whatever vinegar you prefer
- Salt - quite a bit
- 2-3 finely sliced garlic cloves - or to taste
- Oregano - I use fresh, but dried is okay
- Olive oil to cover
Instructions
- Sprinkle a fine layer of salt in the bottom of a tub and cover with a layer of the anchovies.
- Sprinkle a few slices of garlic to taste. Go easy if you've got a hot date night planned or you aren't too keen on strong garlic.
- Sprinkle another layer of salt.
- Pour in enough vinegar to cover the anchovies.
- Continue this layering until all the anchovies are totally covered vinegar.
- Cover and pop into the fridge overnight. I tend to leave them between 12 and 18 hours, but be warned I once left them over 24 hours and found them saltier then they should be.
- Drain the vinegar off. I sling them into a colander.
- Layer them roughly back into the container sprinkling a little oregano between the layers. Go easy if using dried oregano as it can be a little bitter.
- Cover with olive oil and pop back in the fridge until ready to use.
Notes
Kept in an airtight container, preferably glass due to the tangy aroma that penetrates plastic tubs, the marinated anchovies will keep for a week or so. A rub down with fresh lemon and being left to dry seems to help remove some of the smell.
Any remaining olive oil can be enjoyed drizzled over fresh bread.
Have you tried Greek-style marinated anchovies (marinated gavros)?
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