Santoña anchovies

Cantabrian anchovies in olive oil. These anchovies are caught close to the coast in spring at their flavoursome peak and cured for 11 to 12 months in Santoña, the birthplace of the Cantabrian anchovy, at a traditional, family-run cannery. The hand-prepared fillets are packed in a neutral olive oil so that the unique flavour of the fish can shine. The anchovies are meaty, flavoursome and firm-textured.

Recipe tip: toast some good bread, let it cool, apply butter thickly and position the anchovy fillets. Find more anchovy recipes here.

About Carmelo: Carmelo is a luxe edit of Iberia’s finest tinned fish curated by Patrick Martinez, the founder of The Tinned Fish Market. It must come from marine ecosystems where sea life thrives. It must be fished seasonally, sustainably, and must be prepared by hand. This is the Carmelo manifesto.

More about the Santoña anchovies:

•Cantabrian anchovies are said to be the best anchovies. And those produced in the Cantabrian fishing town Santoña are the ultimate Cantabrian anchovy. The town is where the first Italian settlers began to produce salted anchovies. The anchovies from here are always Engraulis encrasicolus - the finest example of the anchovy due to its high omega-3 content and flavour profile.

•The very best bocarte - the Spanish name for the fresh anchovy before it is cured - are bought at the Cantabrian ports. The anchovies are then quickly run from the harbour to the Santoña cannery where the year-long curing process begins. The sobadora - the artisan that fillets the anchovies post-curing - removes the hair-like bones a machine would miss and safeguards the delicate texture a machine would compromise. The numbered slip of paper inside these oil-packed anchovies identifies the sobadora, like a signature on a work of art.

More about Cantabrian anchovies:

•The Cantabrian Sea's weather patterns, currents and water temperatures - the merroir - are partly why the flavour and texture of the Cantabrian anchovy is world-renowned.

•Anchovies in the Cantabrian Sea grow to a good size because the choppy water there is oxygenated and strong currents drive deeper, nutrient-dense waters to the surface, supporting plankton growth which the anchovies feed on. 

•The Cantabrian Sea’s turbulent waters also mean that he anchovies have to be strong swimmers, and this, along with the coldness of the water, helps firm their flesh enough to stand up well to the salt-curing. Furthermore, the anchovies are submerged in barrels filled with brine for 1 to 2 hours when they reach the cannery to also firm the flesh.

*In spring, when Carmelo anchovies are fished, the anchovy's fatty reserves are at their peak, ready for summer when they spawn. The higher fat content assists the long curing and development of flavour.