Anchovy Butter or Paste

Anchovy Butter or Paste is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic paste of anchovies pounded with butter until smooth and topped with clarified butter to seal. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Anchovy Butter or Paste.

prep time

10 minutes

cook time

10 minutes

Total Time:

20 minutes

Makes:

1 batch

Rating:

Tags : Sauce Recipes British Recipes

This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook. This sauce is described as 'An Excellent Sauce for Fish'.

Original Recipe

227. INGREDIENTS.—2 dozen anchovies, 1/2 lb. of fresh butter.

Mode.—Wash the anchovies thoroughly; bone and dry them, and pound them in a mortar to a paste. Mix the butter gradually with them, and rub the whole through a sieve. Put it by in small pots for use, and carefully exclude the air with a bladder, as it soon changes the colour of anchovies, besides spoiling them.

Average cost for this quantity, 2s.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

24 anchovies
225g butter
150g clarified butter (ghee), melted

Method:

Thoroughly wash the anchovies, fillet them and remove any bones then pound to a paste in a mortar. Soften the 225g butter then gradually mix with the anchovy paste until smooth and the fish is evenly distributed through the butter.

Pack the anchovy butter into small pots or ramekins. To preserve the butter all the air must be excluded and the easiest way to do this is to top the mixture with melted and cooled ghee (clarified butter). Transfer to the refrigerator until the ghee sets then cover with clingfilm and store in a cold larder or in the refrigerator.

Find more Mrs Beeton Recipes Hereand more Traditional Victorian Recipes Here