Anchovy Salad

A plain oil-and-lemon salad built on whole salted anchovies, which the original cook bought loose from a keg rather than filleted in a tin. The only real work is in the fish.

• Whole anchovies vs. tinned filletsThe instruction to remove heads, fins, tails and bones tells you these are whole fish rather than prepared fillets, most likely salt-cured, though the recipe says only to wash them. If you use salt-packed anchovies, rinse off the crust, soak 20-30 minutes in cold water or milk, then split along the backbone and lift the spine out. Modern oil-packed fillets are already boned and need only draining and a quick rinse; six whole fish equal about twelve fillets.
• SaltspoonfulA saltspoon is a quarter teaspoon. That is the parsley measure only, and there is no added salt in the dressing, which is correct given how much salt the fish carries.
• "A few small onions"In a salad context this means green spring onions or the small white bulb onions sold pickling-size, sliced thin, not full-sized cooking onions. Two or three scallions, including some green, are about right.
• The dressing proportionThe original gives lemon juice and oil with no ratio. Three parts oil to one part lemon juice is the standard for a salad like this; with anchovy in the bowl, err toward more oil to soften the salt. One lemon and about six tablespoons of oil will dress the bowl.
• Dress at the tableShredded lettuce collapses quickly under acid and oil. Assemble the bowl ahead if you like, but pour the dressing on immediately before it goes out.
• The lemon slicesThese go into the bowl with the salad rather than onto a plate edge, so if you intend to eat them, slice them paper-thin and cut away the peel and pith unless you want the bitterness.
• YieldEnough for four as a first course, or two as a light lunch with bread.