But I don’t use tubed paste. I use the filets in the jar, and they disintegrate entirely in the sauce/oil.
I also use the filets smooshed up with garlic, salt & pepper for a zesty Caesar dressing 
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I smoosh fillets for Caesar. And add whole anchovies for those of us who indulge. I find the paste in a tube easier and less wasteful than drawing down my anchovy stash, particularly if I’m making a small quantity of something. I’m generous with the paste.
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Oddly, I love Worcestershire and fish sauces. They don’t taste fishy to me. I always assumed because they are fermented. Just salty and savoury. I use W sauce in Caesar dressing and Bloody Caesars, as well as some meat dishes. Fish sauce goes in a lot of different dishes.
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What @linguafood says here. Those little anchovy filets will melt, tiny bones and all, in a warm sauce on the stove. I check to make sure they’ve disappeared completely.
What I can’t say is whether someone who says they don’t like anchovies will enjoy the dish. If they’re okay with things like fish sauce and Worcestershire, that’s a hopeful indicator.
For example, I don’t like anchovies on their own but love the umami that dissolving the fillets bring to a garlicky, spicy puttanesca. I only use a couple—just enough to get the flavor I want.
I’ll leave the lovely whole anchovies to the connoisseurs. More for you to enjoy!
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Me neither, but I don’t notice them in tapenade, which has capers and olives, which are strong-tasting themselves.
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To expand on my prior answer a bit - I’ve had anchovy-free Worcestershire sauce (daughter bought it, I think it was the Kroger store brand) and tried that side-by-side against L&P. Maybe I was just fooling myself, and/or maybe the Kroger stuff was just far inferior for other reasons.
She (that daughter) has backed off a bit on her vegetarianism to the point where she’ll now use regular Worcestershire (as long as it’s also gluten free, which L&P is in the US since they switched to white vinegar from malted).
By coincidence I made “anchoiade” yesterday as a dip for a party. Very simple recipe with a tin of anchovy filets in olive oil, capers, garlic, some fresh basil, black pepper and best olive oil, all in the mixer (I could not be bothered to do it with the mortar and pestle). Much better than what you get in a tube, and what’s left will keep forever in the fridge…
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Mmm. I’ve had the plainer version (no capers, no basil) but yours sounds like it’s definitely worth trying.
I think it will depend on how sensitive her palate is and the type of anchovy or anchovy product you add. As others have noted, the whole filets that come in a tin with oil will just melt away as you saute them with your base vegetables. The result is typically a flavor boost/umami that is not fishy. But, Mrs. Midlife’s mileage may vary! The paste sold in grocery stores is milder and may be a better place to start, as well as storing more easily if you are only going to be using it once in a while. If your partner can handle fish sauce (which is made from anchovies) as part of other ingredients, she will probably be ok with the paste.
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Here is the recipe, I trust you read French :o) . I used Portuguese extra virgin bio olive oil, and used more than the recipe mentions and added fresh basil as I had some at hand. Well worth the (small) effort. https://www.undejeunerdesoleil.com/2019/08/anchoiade-maison.html
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Thanks! I don’t read French but that’s pretty clear and easy to figure out.
Yes and fish sauce. As long as you are judicious. Mrs PB hates both and I have put them on my Bolognese sauces from time to time and she hasn’t noticed. I think it would be more noticeable in a non meat pasta sauce.
I’ve never tried this myself, but I have used anchovy paste and Italian anchovy sauce (think Italian fish sauce). They are fantastic as umami booster in all sorts of foods without fishiness, so I would guess it would work the same for mashed potatoes too.
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Fresh (or your frozen) anchovy are a completely different animal. A friend does an amazing job of filleting them and serving with simple OO/lemon. Or… Food of the gods.
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Mandatory in Green Goddess Dressing, a fabulous counterpoint for all kinds of veggies, cold meats.
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Don’t mean to go off topic, but I’ve tried green goddess dressing and was super disappointed (this was store bought variety). Is this NYT recipe the definitive version? I can’t tell if my expectations were too high, or did I really just get a few bad samples of of the dressing.
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Store bought versions need not be considered. IMHO, true of most dressings.
Note: I have changed the url for recipe since I noticed NYT was behind a paywall.
Yes, linked recipe is pretty classic. Or this one.
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Do you want food advice or relationship advice? If your spouse has professed a dislike for an ingredient, better to negotiate with her about whether and under what circumstances she’d be willing to try it. The suggestions above to just put it in and maybe tell her and maybe not make me shudder. It’s not about whether you can taste it. It’s about the trust between you and her.
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And I thought this was just a food forum. 
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It is. And you got lots of food advice. I want to make sure you are still able to feed her next week and next year. 
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