Yurrita Cantabrian Anchovies

Founded in 1867 in the Basque fishing town of Mutriku, Conservas Yurrita is the oldest canning company in the Basque Country — five generations and nearly 150 years of curing anchovy from the Cantabrian Sea.

Bought directly from fishing boats at peak freshness, salted and cured for at least 20 months, then hand-filleted and meticulously cleaned to the right saltiness. The result is a deeply savoury, intensely flavoured fillet that bears no resemblance to the sharp, thin anchovies found in most supermarkets.

Layer onto generously buttered sourdough, drape over pizza, stir into a pasta sauce, or build into a classic salade niçoise. A small tin with serious ambitions.