I’m determined to find sick and twisted ways of forcing history’s five greatest foods – anchovies, honey, mustard, raspberries, and chicken wings – to live together in one tiny room and swap each other around in surprising combinations (I know, I know, mustard is a condiment not a food).
Honey and mustard are in love, but they feel unexpectedly awkward living with chicken wings. I wanted to see how anchovies would feel if they were forced into a shotgun marriage with honey and raspberries, so I plunged them right in.
I made a salad: half a red cabbage, a head of lettuce, two coarsely grated carrots, two sticks of finely chopped celery, and half a diced red pepper (some of you might prefer to omit what, to me, is oddly one the quintessentially Irish ingredients: red pepper). Any excuse to eat anchovies – a small amount packs a great flavour punch and protein fix, they’re loaded with the best fish oils, they’re cheap, and you can choose a sustainable option in the Fish4Ever brand.
There’s a good mix of textures and flavours in this sweet, crisp, crunchy, juicy, and mouth-watering mix. But to me, the salad is nothing more than the church where a raspberry vinegarette married an anchovy (it was weird).
The vinegarette is really colourful, summery, and easy, and tingling with sweetness and tang. I made enough to fill a small jar. You’ll find many other versions of this online – some using herbs, some using balsamic vinegar, some using sugar. Mine used what I had. About 150mls. It’ll keep for up to two weeks in a tightly sealed and refrigerated container.
- About 50g raspberries
- 75mls rose balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
- 150mls olive/ grapeseed/ rapeseed oil
- A dessert spoon of honey
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Mix well, leave to settle for an hour. It’s also nice with a pinch of finely ground cardamom – another of the most wonderful flavours. Jars would make a nice food gift.