Bar Siesta's Matrimonio. Credit: Emily Ferreti

Anchovy and Boquerón Toast

Name: Anchovy and Boquerón Toast
Prep time: 14400 s
Total time: 14400 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: FOR THE BOQUERONES (optional if using pre-made); Anchovies: 300 g; White vinegar: 3 parts; Water: 1 part; Garlic clove: 1 (finely chopped); Salt: to taste; Extra virgin olive oil: to cover; FOR THE TOAST; Boquerones in vinegar; Anchovies in olive oil; Rustic bread: 2 slices; Ripe tomatoes: 2; Extra virgin olive oil; Salt

14 Oct 2025

Kiki Aranita

Writer

Copy link

Difficulty

Medium

Total Time

4H 0MIN

Cuisine

Spanish

Ingredients

FOR THE BOQUERONES (optional if using pre-made)

Anchovies: 300 g

White vinegar: 3 parts

Water: 1 part

Garlic clove: 1 (finely chopped)

Salt: to taste

Extra virgin olive oil: to cover

FOR THE TOAST

Boquerones in vinegar

Anchovies in olive oil

Rustic bread: 2 slices

Ripe tomatoes: 2

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

This traditional Spanish tapa from Bar Siesta in Los Angeles, balances the saline depth of anchovies with the bright acidity of vinegar-cured boquerones. It’s a staple in tapas bars across Spain—a simple expression of the conservas culture.

How to make Bar Siesta's Anchovy and Boquerón Toast

01.

Make the Boquerones (optional)

Clean the fish, removing head, guts, and spine.
Freeze for at least 48 hours before use.
Marinate in 3 parts vinegar, 1 part water, and a pinch of salt for 3–4 hours in the refrigerator, until the flesh turns opaque white.
Drain, cover with olive oil and finely chopped garlic, and rest for 24 hours before serving.

02.

Prepare the Toasts

Toast slices of rustic bread until golden.
Grate the tomatoes directly over the bread.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
Place one anchovy and one boquerón on each slice.
Serve cold with a glass of chilled white wine or vermouth.

Spread the flavor - share this story.

Copy link

Kiki Aranita

14 Oct 2025

Home Cooking

The Expert

Kiki Aranita is chef and owner of Poi Dog in Philadelphia, a restaurant and catering company that closed its Rittenhouse location in July 2020, but served Hawaii’s local food to Philadelphians for seven years and has since been reinvented as a retail sauce company. She has contributed food writing and narratives to Edible Philly, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Food and Wine (for which she was nominated for a James Beard Award), Roads and Kingdoms and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, as well as recipes to Munchies Vice and many other publications and platforms. She has created content and recipe-driven videos for companies such as Philadelphia Magazine, Sakara Life and Vitamix. Follow her recipe work, food writing and pop-up cheffing at @kikiaranita on Instagram.