Anchovy Fennel Toasts With Roasted Red Peppers Recipes

ANCHOVY FENNEL TOASTS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Roast bell peppers on racks of gas burners over high heat, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap, then let steam, covered, about 20 minutes.
• When peppers are cool enough to handle, peel, then halve lengthwise, discarding stems and seeds. Cut peppers lengthwise into 3/4-inch-wide strips.
• Toast fennel seeds in a dry small heavy skillet over moderately low heat, shaking skillet frequently, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and cool. Finely grind fennel seeds in grinder, then stir into butter along with anchovies, lemon juice, and pepper until combined well.
• Preheat broiler.
• Broil baguette slices in a large shallow baking pan (18 by 12 inches) 3 to 4 inches from heat until golden, about 1 minute. Turn slices over and spread generously with anchovy butter. Broil toasts until butter is golden and bubbling, about 1 minute, then transfer to a platter. Top with bell pepper strips.

ROASTED PEPPERS WITH CAPERS, OLIVES AND ANCHOVY

Steps:

• Roast the peppers: Place each pepper directly on the flames of a stovetop burner or under the broiler as close to the flames as possible. (Alternatively, place the pepper on a hot charcoal or gas grill.) Turning frequently with tongs, allow the skin to blacken and blister all over; About 10 minutes should suffice. Remove from flames, and leave to rest on a plate until cool enough to handle. Ideally, you should cook all the peppers at once rather than one at a time.
• Cut the roasted pepper in half lengthwise. Using a small knife, scrape away and discard seeds. Turn over and scrape away the blackened skin. Wipe with a paper towel, if necessary. Do not rinse - a little char is fine. Leave the pepper halves in one piece or cut into strips 3/4-inch wide. Place in a small bowl, toss with salt and pepper, red-pepper flakes, garlic and a little olive oil. Leave to marinate at least 10 minutes.
• Lay pepper halves or strips flat on a plate and add 3 or 4 anchovy fillets per serving. Garnish with a few capers and olives. Sprinkle with a little more salt and olive oil, and scatter basil leaves over the top.

ROASTED RED PEPPERS WITH ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Roast bell peppers directly over the flame of a gas burner, turning with tongs, until blackened all over. (Alternately, roast peppers under the broiler, turning, until skin has charred.) Transfer peppers to a large bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let steam about 15 minutes. Using paper towels, rub off skins; remove stems, ribs, and seeds. Cut each pepper lengthwise into 8 strips. Transfer to a small nonreactive (glass or ceramic) bowl.
• Add garlic and 1 tablespoon oil to peppers; let marinate at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days in the refrigerator, covered tightly).
• To serve, arrange peppers on a platter, and top each strip with an anchovy quarter. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired, and drizzle with remaining teaspoon oil, dividing evenly.
• Nutrition Information
• (Per serving)
• Calories: 67
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 3mg
• Carbohydrates: 4g
• Protein: 2g
• Sodium: 149mg
• Fiber: 1g

BUCATINI WITH FENNEL AND ANCHOVIES

Steps:

• Place anchovies and their oil in a small bowl, add the lemon juice and mix together to break up anchovies. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a 12- to 14-inch skillet, add bread crumbs and cook on medium, stirring, until they are toasted. Fold in parsley and tarragon, remove from skillet and set aside. Wipe out skillet and add remaining oil. Heat on medium-low, add fennel, onion and garlic and cook until they become soft and translucent and show a hint of color. Lightly season with salt and liberally with pepper. Stir in anchovy mixture and set aside. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
• Cook bucatini until not quite al dente. Remove 2 cups of the pasta water and continue cooking pasta until just done. Drain and add to the skillet with the fennel mixture along with about a cup of the pasta water. Scatter in the lemon zest. Heat on low. Use tongs to toss pasta thoroughly with the fennel mixture. There should be enough liquid to moisten the pasta without making it soupy, so add more pasta water if needed. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Don't be shy with the pepper. Divide the pasta among 4 to 6 warm plates, top each with some of the bread crumbs and serve with cheese on the side.

ROASTED RED PEPPER FILLED WITH TUNA

Steps:

• Roast the pepper directly over a gas burner or under the broiler, turning often until uniformly charred. Remove from the heat, and place in a bowl. Cover tightly, and allow to cool.
• While you're waiting for the pepper to cool, make the tuna filling. Combine the garlic and a generous pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste. Add the anchovy, if using, and mash with the garlic. Add the capers, and mash together. In a bowl, break up the tuna with a fork, then stir in the garlic mixture, the lemon juice, olive oil and the yogurt. Add more yogurt or olive oil if the mixture seems dry. Season to taste with pepper (it should not need salt), and stir in the parsley.
• When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel and discard the blackened skin, rinse briefly and pat dry. Cut away the top, then cut or pull apart the pepper into thirds. Remove seeds and membranes, holding the pepper over a bowl so that you can catch any juice. Lay the pepper pieces on a plate. Season with a little salt and pepper if desired, and fill with the tuna mixture. Serve.