This small ingredient delivers a powerful impact, with pro chefs claiming it's the hidden gem for enhancing flavors in Trader Joe’s wide range of products.
During my recent visit to Trader Joe’s, I overhead two customers discussing their preferred products from the store. For those who frequently shop at Trader Joe’s, it comes as no surprise that there is an abundance of options available. favorite products To select from. Whether you're looking at fashionable, frequently copied treats and globally inspired frozen dinners or top-notch, gourmet components, it’s like striking gold for anyone with even a passing interest in cuisine. This got me thinking about what culinary experts—who obviously have an intense passion for food—consider their go-to Trader Joe's picks. Recently, I reached out to fellow chefs asking them which items they couldn’t live without when shopping there. Their replies were full of zeal; some praised the cultured butter sourced from Brittany as well as the prestigious aged balsamic vinegar from Modena. However, every single chef concurred on one essential item: anchovies—an unassuming yet powerful $1.79 addition that packs quite a flavor punch.
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Why Anchovies?
These small fish fillets may appear as an unconventional preference; however, based on my conversations with several chefs (and Giada She herself) serves as an indispensable addition to any well-stocked pantry, enhancing numerous recipes with greater dimension and intricacy. "Packed with umami, these often remind one of flavors found in soy sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan," she elucidates. Carla Contreras A food stylist from New Jersey and ex-chef with over two decades of expertise, who has worked at places like Daniel Boulud’s DBGB and the Marriott Boston in Boston, mentioned this. She explained, "These ingredients bring an element of taste that folks find hard to define yet immediately recognize as delectable." Each professional she spoke to brought up the term 'umami' multiple times when discussing this topic.
Karen Tedesco a Miami-based professional chef who honed skills under James Beard Award-winning restaurateur Melissa Kelly and is also known for founding the popular recipe website Familystyle Food , considers them indispensable. “They’re the ultimate secret ingredient in my pantry—it’s a big plus that they have a long shelf life, whether they’re packed in olive oil or salt.” Tedesco uses them “as a condiment to layer flavor, the same way I would add a squeeze of lemon juice, salt or red pepper flakes to season a dish.”
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The Top Method for Using Anchovies, As Recommended by Chefs
When it comes to incorporating anchovies into your cooking, the possibilities are endless. “Making a pasta sauce with anchovies, butter and garlic is one of my faves,” says Casey Corn , a classically trained chef based inAtlanta, who also works as a food anthropologist and hosts a show onMagnolia Network’s Recipe Lost and Found . “It gives the sauce a richer flavor than just a simple garlic sauce alone.” She loves how they melt, almost indistinguishably, into foods when they’re chopped up and cooked. “ Anchovies play really well with garlic ,” says Tedesco. “They’re kindred souls in terms of their bold personality. So any recipe where garlic plays a role is a good bet. Think aioli And other dressings based on mayonnaise such as Caesar salad dressing, along with garlic bread and my favorite—spicy puttanesca pasta sauce.”
Multiple chefs expressed their fondness for anchovies in tomato-based sauces such as puttanesca . Erica Wides A Brooklyn-based chef, cooking instructor, and food media host with three decades of industry experience remarks, "Anchovies enhance the salinity of the olives and capers and introduce an additional dimension of taste reminiscent of the ocean." Additionally, they contribute "complexity and richness to the flavor," notes Contreras, who also enjoys utilizing them as a foundation for various dishes. Caesar dressings “It really changes things significantly when you include a few fillets. They make all the difference,” she exclaims enthusiastically. Another traditional use for these ingredients is making bagna cauda, she mentions. This is "a warm dip from Piemonte region made with anchovies, garlic, and olive oil; it becomes even more delightful served alongside chilled, crisp vegetables as well as bitter endive or radicchio leaves."
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How to Become a Fan of Anchovies
If you're just starting out with cooking anchovies, don't let them scare you. As Corn points out, "if you enjoy Caesar salads, then anchovies should not seem too daunting!" For beginners, Wides recommends beginning with anchovy paste from a tube since it is "easier to handle and keep compared to jars or cans," and suggests slowly incorporating small amounts into your meals. tomato sauces , beans, salad dressings, and bean soups .
Tedesco recommends beginning modestly as well. She advises, "Initially, incorporate 1 or 2 into a recipe so you can acclimate to their presence; gradually increase from there." Additionally, she notes, "If you're just beginning to explore these ingredients... mix a tiny bit of minced anchovies into warm oil. The anchovies will melt away almost immediately, seeming nearly invisible. However, you'll detect the slight yet distinct umami flavor they impart to your dish."
Corn concurs with the idea that "mincing them finely and cooking in olive oil or butter before incorporating into a recipe reduces their potency," which might be useful if you feel daunted. Contreras suggests freezing them as an alternative if you wish to experiment without committing to having an opened tin lingering in your fridge. She recommends placing each piece separately on parchment paper; after they're fully frozen, you can move them to an airtight container in the freezer for storage lasting up to three months.
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For Members of the Anchovy Lovers Society
If you already savor these tiny umami bombs, the chefs offered additional fish-centric or out-of-the-box suggestions for relishing them. "I personally adore having anchovies on toast slathered with butter!" says Corn, who also advises trying "gildas—Spanish tapas featuring anchovies, green olives, and pickled guindilla peppers—which pair wonderfully with a martini." Wides proposes incorporating them into beef stews or lamb braises to intensify their savory depth and robust tastes.
"Anchovies can be used in any dish that requires salt," according to Gigi Ashworth , a self-declared "salt enthusiast" and fish lover referred to as the "Queen of Salmon." Ashworth consumes approximately "12 pounds of salmon per week," and she was raised consuming canned fish directly from the tin for lunch. She recounts, "My dad and I would punctuate a roasted leg of lamb with anchovies, thyme, and a hint of garlic to imbue it with richer salinity." Similarly, these ingredients enhance both the saltiness and complexity of flavors. chicken dishes, quiches , and greens .
The oil they're packed in also holds promise. Contreras makes sure not to waste a single drop, mentioning that she utilizes the olive oil from the tin to create salad dressings and employs it as a cooking oil whenever anchovies are already part of the recipe, such as in pasta or risotto dishes. She adds encouragingly, "As you become more comfortable, you might even consider experimenting with topping your toast, pizza, or simply enjoying them right out of the can as a savory snack."
Related: Why Fish Is More Delicious at Restaurants, Say Chefs
The Bottom Line
While anchovies may not be the initial item that comes to mind when shopping at Trader Joe’s, they stand out as highly recommended seasonings known for packing significant taste into every bite. As Wides articulates, "These tiny fish infuse an enigmatic depth of flavor into dishes!" Thanks to their briny and aged characteristics, adding them to meals can quickly enhance complexity and boost savory notes significantly. Be it preparing a traditional Caesar salad or aiming to upgrade routine recipes, professionals suggest considering these nutrient-rich, omega-3-filled small wonders essential additions to your grocery list.
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