Love them or hate them, anchovies are definitely divisive, but did you know that they’re a “secret weapon” ingredient? In very small quantities, chopped tinned anchovies will melt into other ingredients, stealthily rounding out the flavour of a dish without adding any fishy flavour at all. This is because they’re packed with umami, that super-savoury taste that makes your mouth water (if you’re not sure what umami is, think of soy sauce, bacon, steak or cooked mushrooms. Yeah. Yum.)

Feeling brave? Try adding just one or two chopped anchovies (the kind that’s tinned in oil) to the following:

  • Tomato sauces for meat
  • Almost any pasta sauce
  • Vinaigrettes
  • Butter, lemon and caper sauces for fish
  • Burger or meatloaf mixtures
  • Caesar salad dressing
  • Homemade stuffing, especially for roast lamb

You won’t regret it!