Anchovy Butter with French Breakfast Radishes is one of those dishes that we enjoy every year when we’re plucking big beautiful radishes out of the garden. I stumbled upon the notion of eating radishes with butter and flaky sea salt a few years ago and it felt like a novelty at the time, but I quickly understood why it’s a thing – the butter is creamy, the radishes are peppery, and the salt ties it all together. I’ve read that people are partial to fleur de sel, a French sea salt, but I’m fiercely devoted to Maldon salt.
The classic pairing of butter and radishes is really good, but Anchovy Butter with French Breakfast Radishes takes the experience to another level!
I know that many people claim that they can’t abide anchovies. I get it – my first experience with anchovies was salty, hairy strips layered across the top of a pizza, and it was such a turn-off. However, in the right application you don’t even know the anchovies are there – the salty umami that they impart is satisfying, but there is no fishiness, and no hairs.
A beautiful radish, a schmear of anchovy butter, and maybe just a few flakes of Maldon. Really nice.
Anchovy Butter with French Breakfast Radishes is special – a lovely match. But you don’t have to stop there. Anchovy Butter shouldn’t hang out out in your fridge pining for more radishes. Try it on a baked potato or scrambled eggs. Or slathered on a slice of sourdough bread. If you’re one of those people who claims they can’t stand anchovies, please try it. You might surprise yourself!
Anchovy Butter
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 5 anchovies, packed in oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 t fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Prep the anchovies and garlic – Heat the anchovies in the microwave for just a few seconds to soften them, then smash them with the back of a fork to create a paste. Use a rasp or a fine microplane to grate the garlic.
- Blend – Cream the butter together with the anchovies, garlic, and lemon juice until very smooth. I use a mini food processor and pulse until the creamed mixture is almost fluffy.
