I like to think of briny as “umami of the sea.” Dishes that have saltiness plus. Clams, anchovies, olives, and even capers, seem, to me, to have that divine combination of saltness and pungency that makes a dish one I want to go back to for seconds and thirds and then rave about for the next 96 hours (sorry).
Here are my favorite brine-rich dishes from BGSK:
**Bring on the Brine! 10 Salty Favorites**
1. Grilled Mozzarella Sandwich with Anchovy-Olive Tapenade. While mozzarella makes this sandwich what it is-grilled cheese!-it’s the anchovy-laced olive tapenade that catapults the sandwich into addictive terrain.
2. Perfect Baked Clams. Last night, I ate at a restaurant called The Clam. The entire list of specialities is devoted to things made from clams. That’s why I went. Clams deliver the flavor of the sea in a deliciously mild and fun-to-eat form, and are therefore one of my favorite foods.
3. Bloody Marys. Though you can’t go wrong mixing up the classic Bloody Mary ingredients-pickle brine, olive juice, black pepper-a dash of fish sauce takes this batch to the next level. Want to go big brine or go home? Add clam juice to the mix and you’ve got a Bloody Caesar.
4. Patafla. My new go-to tomato sandwich uses olives, capers, garlic, and salt to knock up the brine factor. Since tomatoes need a decent dose of salt to be their best, this move is much appreciated by the sandwich’s eaters.
5. Pizza Bianca with Anchovies & Kale. A bite of intense saltiness (anchovies) topped with more saltiness (Parmesan)? How can a girl say no? Next time you make pizza, plan to have this combo in the mix. You likely have the ingredients around already.
6. Aglio e Olio con Acciuga. In fact anchovies bring so much flavor, you don’t need very many other ingredients for dinner. This peasant-style Italian dinner sauces linguine with nothing more than garlic, olive oil, and melted anchovies.
7. Italian-Style Tuna Melts with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Arugula & Hot Peppers. Good canned tuna, cheese, and sundried tomatoes together form the kind of salty umami bomb you’ll dream of. This is one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever made-seriously.
8. Sardine Linguine. Though sardines don’t have the briny punch of their canned brethren, anchovies, the rest of the ingredients (olives, dried tomatoes), partner with the little fish to deliver the flavor we need.
9. Som Tam-Style Broccoli. The briny combination of fish sauce and salty peanuts is what turns this Thai staple into an excellent way to enjoy your broccoli.
