Roasted vegetables, warm and sweet, are the perfect canvas for a good Cantabrian anchovy. In this warm salad, the heat of the roasting enhances the flavors, and the salty, unctuous touch of the anchovy brings everything together. It's a healthy, complete dish full of nuances, ideal for transitional seasons, proving that a salad can be anything but boring.
Oven-roasted vegetables develop a natural sweetness through caramelization that completely transforms them compared to their raw version. This concentrated sweetness — peppers that taste like jam, eggplants that taste like butter, zucchini that tastes like nuts — is the perfect counterpoint to the intense saltiness of the anchovy. Served warm (not hot, not cold: warm) with a balsamic and basil vinaigrette, they create a dish that is balanced, colorful, nutritious, and absolutely addictive.
Ingredients
- 12 Cantabrian anchovy fillets (we use "00" Premium Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets)
- 2 red bell peppers, cut into large pieces
- 1 eggplant, sliced 1 cm thick
- 2 zucchinis, cut into half-moons
- 1 red onion, cut into wedges
- 4 unpeeled garlic cloves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar
- Fresh basil
- Flaky sea salt, pepper
Step-by-step preparation
- Oven at 200 C. Cut the vegetables into large pieces (they should caramelize, not steam: if they are small, they release water). Place them on a baking tray in a single layer, without overcrowding. Drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper.
- Oven: 25-30 minutes. Roast until the vegetables are tender and have caramelized edges. Do not stir them: they need static contact with the tray to brown.
- Remove and let cool for 5 minutes (warm, not hot: excessive heat cooks the anchovies). Arrange on a platter and place the anchovy fillets on top while still warm.
- Dress with balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh basil. The roasted garlic cloves are squeezed out of their skin and scattered — they are pure sweetness.
The house trick
The key is "warm": neither hot nor cold. Hot vegetables from the oven will cook the anchovies if you put them on immediately. Cold vegetables from the fridge will make the anchovies taste like they came from a can. The perfect point is when you can touch the vegetables with your hand without getting burned but still feel warmth: 5 minutes out of the oven.
Buy it at Bacalalo"00" Premium Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets€24.90 · 24-48h refrigerated delivery →Discover our entire collection of Cantabrian Anchovies →
Frequently asked questions
Which vegetables are best roasted for this salad?
Red pepper, zucchini, eggplant, onion, or asparagus. Roasted in the oven or grilled until tender and slightly caramelized.
Warm or cold?
Warm: freshly roasted vegetables and anchovies at room temperature. The contrast in temperatures is part of its charm.
When do I add the anchovies?
At the end, on top of the warm vegetables, so they retain their texture and contribute their flavor without cooking.
