Braised Lettuce On Anchovy Toast Recipes

BRAISED BEEF WITH ANCHOVY TOASTS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based casserole dish and fry the onion for 5 mins. Stir in the garlic and bay leaves and fry for 5 mins more.
• Pour in the wine, stock and sugar. Mix the flour with the tomato purée and 3 tbsp water. Tip into the wine mixture and stir continuously until thickened. Then add the meat and anchovies, cover and leave to simmer for 1 hr.
• Stir in the shallots, carrots and olives. Cover and simmer for 1 hr more until everything is tender. Meanwhile, for the anchovy toasts, grind the anchovy fillets using a pestle and mortar until smooth (or very finely chop), then beat into the butter with the parsley and lots of black pepper. If freezing, spoon the stew into a container or freezer bag. Repeat with the anchovy butter. To defrost, put both in the fridge to thaw overnight, then reheat the stew in a pan.
• To serve, grill the slices of French bread until lightly toasted, then spread with the anchovy butter. Serve on top of the beef stew and scatter with parsley.

BRAISED LETTUCE ON ANCHOVY TOAST

Steps:

• Remove the outer leaves from the romaine, saving them for soup. Trim the stem, leaving it intact and leaves connected. Cut the head into 6 thin wedges, each wedge connected at the core/stem.
• Make anchovy butter by pounding the anchovies to a paste with the garlic paste, then mashing in 4 tablespoons butter. Combine well.
• Toast the bread.
• Warm a pan large enough to fit all of the lettuce wedges. Add remaining butter. Once it has melted, add the stock, and fit the romaine wedges closely into the pan in a single layer. Salt lightly. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, and turn all the wedges to another side. Salt again, and scatter with lemon zest. Continue to cook, turning once or twice more, until the liquid in the pan is absorbed and the lettuce is very wilted on the leaf end and tender on the stem end. Turn off heat.
• In the pan or on a cutting board, cut each wedge once or twice horizontally.
• Spread each piece of toast thickly with anchovy butter, then top with the sections of a wedge of lettuce. Sprinkle each lightly with salt again, if desired. Serve hot.

ANCHOVY TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a small bowl whisk together anchovy paste and oil. Brush both sides of baguette slices lightly with anchovy oil and arrange in one layer on baking sheets. Toast slices in middle and lower thirds of oven 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool toasts on a rack. Toasts may be made 4 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.