The most intense bite of the Cantabrian Sea in our collection of canned anchovies

A good anchovy is probably the tinned fish that hides the most work. In this selection of canned anchovies we have gathered Cantabrian anchovies from the houses that work them best, from Santoña, Laredo and the Asturian coast, in olive oil, in butter and in snacking formats.

Months of salt and handwork

The Cantabrian anchovy is caught in spring, when its fat is at its best. It then spends months curing in salt, which is what gives it its flavour. Afterwards it has to be washed, rubbed by hand to remove the skin, and each fillet cleaned of bones one by one, before being laid in the tin with oil. No machine can do that work, which is why a good anchovy costs what it does.

How to recognise a good anchovy

• Colour: reddish or mahogany, never greyish or dark brown.
• Texture: firm yet buttery, melting without being soft.
• Salt: present but balanced. An overly salty anchovy usually means a short cure or lesser raw material.
• Cleanliness: the whole fillet, skinless, boneless and spotless.

Choose your tin

• In olive oil, the classic: Codesa in its Serie Oro and Serie Limitada, Angelachu, Solano-Arriola, Hazas, Conservas Emilia and SanFilippo, in tins from 50 to 180 grams.
• In butter: Revilla in organic butter and Hazas in noisette, citrus or spicy butter. Milder and richer.
• For snacking: Hazas anchovy pieces, Agromar anchovy pâté, anchovy-stuffed olives and gildas.

Before serving

Out of the fridge half an hour beforehand: cold hardens the anchovy and thickens the oil. On toast with tomato, with a roasted pepper or on its own. And once opened, eat it soon.

Add your favourite tins to the basket and receive them in 24-48 hours.