Maine smelt are what I use because they are local to me, but other small fish, such as anchovies, can be used instead.
Ingredients
- 24 smelt, anchovies or other local small fish
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 8 Calabrian chilies, thinly sliced into rings
- ½ cup picked flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
Method
- Clean and rinse each smelt. Using a small paring knife, cut from the belly to the tail of the fish, removing any roe or intestine. Rinse lightly with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- To cure: In a small bowl, combine the salt and sugar and mix well. In a separate container with a flat bottom, scatter a thin layer of the salt-sugar cure and arrange a layer of smelt on top, taking care to cover the fish with cure and not to overlap any of the smelt. Sprinkle another layer of the cure on top, then arrange another layer of smelt. Repeat this process until all the smelt are under the cure. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours. After curing, gently rinse each smelt under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Using a paring knife or your hands, open up each smelt and carefully pull back and remove the spines from head to tail, making sure to not tear the filet or leave any tiny bones.
- To marinate: In a deep container, arrange a layer of smelt on the base of the container, taking care not to overlap. Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the fish, followed by 2 or 3 slices of garlic, Calabrian chilis, parsley leaves, and a splash of sherry and white wine vinegars. Using a microplane, zest the lemon over the fish. Repeat these steps until all of the fish have been layered with the flavorings. On the final layer, pour enough olive oil to cover the fish by ½ inch. The fish must be submerged under the oil. Let the smelts marinate for a minimum of one week or up to several months, refrigerated – the longer the better!
- To serve: Spread the butter, arrange the tomatoes, or spoon the baba ganoush on the bread. Season with salt and pepper. Gently remove the marinated smelt from the oil and lay them on top, along with some of the garlic slices and chili. Drizzle with some of the marinade oil and squeeze some lemon juice over the top. Add some basil to the tomatoes and thyme to the baba ganoush. As Jacques would say, Happy Cooking!
For Serving
Ingredients
- 1 loaf sourdough bread, thickly sliced
- Cultured butter, optional
- Ripe tomatoes, optional
- Baba ganoush, optional
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon
- Basil leaves, optional
- Thyme leaves, optional
Boquerones are traditionally cured anchovies served as part of a Spanish Tapas menu. My version uses local Maine smelt found in the estuaries and offshore waters from the Chesapeake Bay to Labrador. They are caught using hand-held dip nets, and I know that Jacques and Claudine love to fish and cook them. Flavorings of garlic, Calabrian chilis, lemon and olive oil make them perfect as a first course or snack served atop sourdough bread with cultured butter, tomatoes or baba ganoush.