SMOKY ANCHOVIES WITH BAKED WET GARLIC
- 1 wet (green) garlic bulb
- 8–12 fresh anchovy or sardine fillets
- 2 thick slices of sourdough bread
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- a few thyme leaves (optional)
- flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Get a hot fire going and allow it to burn back to nice, chunky glowing embers. Wrap the garlic bulb in a double layer of kitchen foil and nestle it down into a small clearing in the embers of the fire. Turn it every 10–15 minutes to ensure it bakes evenly. After about 35–40 minutes, the garlic should be tender. Lift it out of the fire and give it a squeeze. It’ll feel nice and soft if it’s ready. Set aside. Season the anchovy or sardine fillets with some salt and pepper. Make sure you have a nice, smoky fire going. At this point it doesn’t want to be overly hot, otherwise the fillets will cook too quickly – even at a moderate heat they’ll take only a few minutes.
Trickle the bread with half the extra-virgin olive oil and grill each slice on each side until it’s golden and crunchy. To serve, cut the sweet, tender garlic in half around its circumference. Squeeze out some of the soft cloves and spread them over the toast. Trickle with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with over a few thyme leaves (if using), some flaky salt and some pepper. Lay the smoky anchovies on top of the garlic and eat at once.
