Nigella Anchovy Elixir is made with salt-packed anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, cold water, and a mix of crudités like radishes and red chicory. This recipe creates a savory, anchovy-rich dip or sauce. It takes about 15 minutes to prepare and serves approximately 350ml.
Nigella Anchovy Elixir Ingredients
- 100g salt-packed anchovies
- 3 fat cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2½ x 15ml tablespoons lemon juice
- 175ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 125ml cold water
To Serve:
- A few heads of red chicory
- Radishes or other raw vegetables of your choice
How To Make Nigella Anchovy Elixir
- Soak the Anchovies: Soak anchovies in cold water for 5 minutes, replace with fresh cold water, and soak another 5 minutes. Rinse under running water, removing tails and optionally bones.
- Use a Bullet Blender: Add soaked anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and cold water to a bullet blender. Blitz until smooth and fluid.
- Use a Stick Blender (Alternative): Blitz anchovies, garlic, and lemon juice in a bowl. Gradually blend in oil and water in thirds until emulsified.
- Serve with Crudités: Transfer to serving bowls and arrange radishes, red chicory, and other crudités around the dip.
Recipe Tips
- Use Salt-Packed Anchovies: These provide more depth of flavor than oil-packed varieties.
- Blender Matters: A bullet blender gives a smoother finish than a stick blender.
- Don’t Overlook Serving Ideas: This doubles as a sauce for steak or roast lamb.
- Make Ahead: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
What To Serve With Anchovy Elixir
This anchovy dip is excellent with raw vegetables like radishes, red chicory, and sweet red peppers. It also complements roasted new potatoes, chips, crusty bread, or even rare-cooked steak and roast meats like lamb and beef.
How To Store Anchovy Elixir
Refrigerate: Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Not recommended as emulsions may separate after thawing.
Anchovy Elixir Nutrition Facts (per 2-tbsp serving)
- Calories: 150
- Total Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 0.5g
- Sugar: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 820mg
FAQs
Do I need to remove anchovy bones?
No, the bones will be undetectable once blended, and they add calcium.
Can I use oil-packed anchovies?
Salt-packed anchovies are strongly preferred for depth of flavor, but oil-packed can work in a pinch.
Is this only a dip?
No—it also makes a flavorful sauce for steak, lamb, or vegetables.
What vegetables go best with it?
Radishes, red chicory, red peppers, asparagus, and steamed new potatoes.
Can it be made ahead of time?
Yes, it stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nigella Anchovy Elixir Recipe
Description
A smooth, grey-hued anchovy and garlic sauce with bold umami, perfect for dipping vegetables or drizzling over steak.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Soak anchovies in cold water, refresh once, rinse and remove tails.
- Add anchovies, garlic, lemon juice, oil, and water to bullet blender.
- Blend until smooth and emulsified.
- Alternative: use stick blender, adding oil and water gradually.
- Transfer to small bowls; serve with prepared crudités.
- Store leftovers chilled, use within 3 days.
Notes
- Salt-packed anchovies give stronger, better flavor than those in oil.
- A bullet blender yields the smoothest texture.
- Best served at room temperature to enhance flavor.
- Can double as a sauce for meats or roasted vegetables.