Premium boquerones or white Cantabrian anchovies prepared by the award-winning cannery Anchoas Hazas. The cannery is based in Lastres, Asturias, a fishing town famed for producing some of the world's finest Cantabrian boquerones and anchovies.
Serving tip: try the boquerones on slices of toast with cream cheese and smoky, velvety piquillo peppers.
About the boquerones: the boquerones are made with the same superior raw product: anchovies caught in spring when they are filled with roe and consequently meatier and less fatty. This makes for a tastier end result. The anchovies chosen by Hazas are the ones caught al alba (at dawn) because these are the freshest when they arrive at the port. The boats Hazas source from are the ones where the anchovies are treated with care and not bruised in the nets when they are caught - an important factor that impacts the final result. The boquerones are filleted and then marinated in a salmuera of vinegar and salt for a precise number of hours (which the cannery keeps secret) to achieve a perfect result. The boquerones are then packed in sunflower oil; this makes the fillets juicier and adds a sweet note that enhances the fish's flavour, something that olive oil would not do.
About the cannery: Anchoas Hazas is a small, artisanal cannery, in Lastres, Asturias. It was founded in order to revive the town's strong tradition of anchovy curing. It's said that every household is expert at curing anchovies. Hazas source the anchovies principally from the port of Asturias, but the schools of anchovies move quickly around the Cantabrian Sea and the scouts from the cannery purchase them from the Basque Country, if that's where the best ones are landed.
Storage: Hazas recommends storing boquerones between 5°C and 10°C to maintain their texture for longer. Remove the boquerones from the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to use them to give the oil chance to liquefy again. After the tin is opened, anchovies must be stored in a fridge and consumed within 7 days.
Shipping: we do not ship anchovies in insulated packaging unless you request us to. This is because anchovies will not deteriorate during the short transit time. However, if you prefer, you can add temperature-controlled shipment here.
