While the clientele of the famed Illetes Beach café Juan y Andreas has changed since it opened in 1972, its character has remained the same. Once a humble beach bar where Andrea prepared meals from what her husband, Juan, caught at sea, the restaurant now offers a port for posh yachters. Despite this refinement, you will be seated on plastic beach chairs by a barefoot waiter and dine under billowing white umbrellas.
The cuisine in Ibiza is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean region, with a strong emphasis on seafood. The menu at Juan y Andrea’s restaurant fully embraces this, offering a variety of dishes ranging from salt-crusted fish to paella.
Marinated Fresh Anchovies is an inspired dish from their menu. So, here is how to prepare this incredible dish.
Marinated fresh anchovies
We would be shocked if you found any canned anchovies in Ibiza. You will, however, find the fresh variety as a cured appetizer on many restaurant tables.
Serves 8
Total cook/prep time: 6 hours
Ingredients
2 lbs large whole fresh anchovies
1 lemon, juiced
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons red chili flakes
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Preparation
If you have never cleaned and prepared fresh anchovies, ask your local fishmonger to tackle them. If you are feeling adventurous, however, start by rinsing the fish with cold water. Next, cut off the heads and make an incision down the belly. Lift out all the bones and internal organs and cut off the tail.
Place the filets’ skin side down in a glass dish. They should be close together, and you can layer them if needed.
Pour lemon juice and vinegar over the filets, making sure each one is covered. Refrigerate for six hours. This will cure (cook) the fish.
Remove from liquid, rinse each filet, and pat dry. Lay the fish out on a plate and drizzle about two tablespoons of olive oil on each filet, then sprinkle with a pinch of chili flakes, parsley, and salt. Layer until all the anchovies are finished and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Bring to room temperature to serve.
