Anchovies, lemon, garlic, oil and parsley - the eternal set of magic ingredients. This is the simplest way to cook as locals do in Malaga. If you can buy fresh anchovies in your local market, there is nothing to stop you from recreating this authentic taste from Malaga.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

1 kg fresh anchovies

3 lemons

small bunch of flat-leaf parsley

4 cloves of garlic

150 ml extra virgin olive oil

salt

This dish has traditionally been prepared in a "cazuela" an earthenware dish which keeps the heat so well. Before the use of “modern” copper, iron and steel utensils, families, who were less wealthy, cooked for centuries in clay pots and pans by the light of a home fire or “lar” ( a place at ground level where the family gathered around the fire) for centuries.

Spanish cuisine would not be the same without the delicious meals cooked in these earthenware dishes - the roasted meat from Castilla, marmitako from Basque country, cocidos from Madrid, Gambas al pil pil and many more. 

While some of the above dishes are very difficult to replicate in a normal pot, this recipe for CAZUELA DE BOQUERONES AL LIMÓN can be easily prepared with a similar result in a modern frying pan.

You can't go wrong with this recipe as it always tastes good. The only thing to note is that sometimes the sauce gets more oily than emulsive, but sometimes it reaches the nice creamy texture, that we are after.

Method

1. Clean the anchovies. You can use our guide "How to Clean Anchovies" below.
2. Chop the garlic and parsley finely. Extract the juice from the lemons without pips and pour in a bowl.
3. Prepare an earthenware pot of approx. 20 cm diameter ( or a heavy frying pan ) and place the flat anchovies skin down and the tales always pointing to the centre.
4. Sprinkle the chopped garlic all over the anchovies.

5. Heat the pot over medium heat and once the anchovies start to turn white, add all the lemon juice and chopped parsley.

6. Decrease the heat to low and start to move the pot so that the juices combine with the oil, and create an almost creamy sauce. This should take 1-3 minutes.

7. Serve in the pot.

How to Clean Anchovies?

Follow our step-by-step visual guide to help you clean and prepare your anchovies for this recipe. 

An Interesting Fact

The earthenware pots should be treated in a special way to prolong its longevity. Before the first use it is advisable to:

1. Submerge the pot in water for 8 hours.
2. After that dry it thoroughly and rub some garlic from outside all over the not enamelled surface. The garlic should seal the pores.
3. Dry it really well, otherwise smoke might come out of the pot when later heated.