Black Sea is region in Turkey where the blue of the Black Sea and green of the valleys are blended magnificently. It is a geography that fascinates those who see plenty of oxygen and foggy mountains offering unique views.
Black Sea region compared to other regions of Turkey has a very variable climate. You can see both the sun and the rain in abundance on the same day.
The livelihood of the Black Sea people is largely dependent on the sea. Although the fish species in the Black Sea have decreased compared to the past, bluefish, tabby, turbot, bonito and especially anchovy are still fish hunted abundantly. Among these fish, anchovy is undoubtedly the most preferred by the people of the region.
They prepare almost everything from anchovy including pickles. I have a few other anchovy recipes in my blog too. The corn flour recipe can also be prepared with anchovy as it is a delicacy of the same region.
Anchovy Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram anchovy
- 2 cups rice
- 1⅓ cup water
- 100 grams corn flour
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 100 mililitres olive oil
- 4-5 onions
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon all spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon dry mint
- 1 teaspoon currants
- 5-6 stalks parsley
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lemon
- 75 millilitres vinegar
Instructions
Pilaf
- Wash the currants, take out the stalks. In a small bowl put some warm water on top and set aside.
- Rinse the rice. In a bowl place the rice and cover with boiling water, to get rid of the starch. Set aside for at least half an hour.
- Put the olive oil into a non-stick pot. Add the pine nuts and sauté until slightly browned.
- Chop well the onions and add to the pine nut. Sauté until onions are translucent.
- Then add all the remaining spices, including the currants.
- Drain and wash the rice. Add, to the pot and sauté until the rice is also translucent. Then add 1⅓ cups of warm water, stir once. Cook over high heat first and then reduce the heat to minimum. Cook until there is no water left, then close the heat and set aside. The rice must be half cooked at this stage.
- Chop the parsley and add to the rice.
Ancovy
- Wash and clean the anchovies. Take out the fish bones and the head while cleaning.
- Put the anchovies into a pot and cover with water and add a lemon's juice, a teaspoon of salt and about 75 millilitre vinegar and set aside for 15 minutes. Then drain and wash again the anchovy; this will prevent the smell of the fish to pass on to the pilaf.
Preparing
- Butter the casseroles. Sprinkle with corn flour. Cover the bottom with anchovies. Place the backs of the anchovies facing the bottom. There should be no open place left. The bottom and the sides should be covered with anchovy. Sprinkle some salt.
- Put the pilaf on top of the anchovies. Cover the top with anchovies as shown in the picture.
- Sprinkle with salt, corn flour. Add a small piece of butter on top.
- Continue until the anchovies are finished.
- Place all the casseroles into a preheated oven heated at 200° Celsius. Cook until anchovies are getting golden and crispy.