Anchovy (yes, anchovy) Butter

Okay, so I realize most people aren't fans of anchovies.  I admit, they are a bit much when you eat them whole.  I've nearly choked on one a couple times while eating my grandma's antipasto. However, the flavor of these little guys are off the charts.  I got the idea for flavoring butter with them when a read about this event going on tonight at the Mermaid Oyster Bar in the East Village.  Sounded interesting, but I just don't love oysters enough to spend $55 per person on them for dinner.  I figured I would just take the best sounding part of the night, the anchovy butter, and make some myself.  So that is what I did.

Ingredients:
1 anchovy (buy them in the jar so you can reseal and use again later, after I've convinced you they are delicious)
1/2 stick of room temperature butter

Directions:
1) Heat a small pan/skillet/whatever with a tiny dab of butter.
2) Add anchovy.
3) Stir until anchovy is melted.  That's right.  It will just melt away, discarding its questionable texture and leaving behind all its heavenly flavor.

4) Let cool a bit, then stir into the rest of the butter.

5) Optional: To make butter into a log, plop it onto a piece of parchment paper, then roll into a cylinder shape.  Refrigerate.

I just spread this on some toast and ate as is.  The flavor is not overpowering, but just adds a bit of savory goodness to the butter.  I think next time I would use 2 anchovies for the same amount of butter for a stronger flavor.

Need more convincing?  Check out what to do with anchovies over at My Kind of Food.