Jennie Geisler: You probably love anchovies and don't know it

Warning: The following column includes content that might be offensive to some readers.

Anchovies.

OK, who's still with me?

No, I don't eat them plain out of the tin like my Great-Uncle Karl did, or put them on pizza like my boss, Kevin Cuneo.

But I'm becoming far more tolerant of unpopular foods as I age, including the little fish with hairlike bones.

They're more versatile then you think, bringing a heady salty richness when they're all smooshed up with something else yummy, like, say, butter or Caesar dressing.

(Yes, all self-respecting Caesar dressings contain anchovies. I hope that doesn't ruin your day.)

It's hard to believe anything can improve on a well-seasoned, pan-fried salmon fillet, but Anchovy-Garlic Butter does that and more.

Five things I learned:

1. Don't let the oil fool you. Anchovies aren't really all that bad for you. They do contain a lot of sodium, but they are also a good source of calcium, iron and phosphorus, a very good source of protein, niacin and selenium, and packed with Omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Most people, especially those who claim to hate anchovies, don't realize that they're commonly used to add powerful flavor to something else, such as sauces, soups, salads and stews. Chefs know that anchovies contain two types of acid that our tongues interpret as "savory," and they add punch to foods without our knowledge.

So even if you think you hate anchovies, you probably don't. And in this recipe, for example, you will get away with it scot-free.

3. There are several types of anchovies, including those found off the coasts of Italy and others near Spain. Incidentally, the fresh-caught anchovies don't taste much different from any other fish.

It's the two-month curing process that gives them their distinctive flavor. The ones called for in this recipe are the most common, sold in small tins near the canned tuna at the grocery store.

Anchovies don't have much going for them in the looks department, as they're dismissed and despised for their oily texture and brown color. But think about what Greek sauce really looks like for a second, and realize that not all delicious foods are photogenic.

4. If you want to include anchovies in a recipe, try to use tinned anchovy fillets and smash them yourself. The tubes of pre-processed anchovy paste don't have comparable flavor and are made with inferior fish. It's not difficult to smash them because the curing process breaks down the muscle proteins.

5. One note on the salmon fillets. You can get them with the skin on or off. This recipe calls for fillets with the skin on, because that preserves flavor and makes it easier to remove the salmon from the pan or grill in one piece.

You can eat the skin if you want, but I prefer to scrape the salmon off it, which is pretty simple once it's cooked.

There are two sides to this argument: On one hand, salmon skin contains high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids, which is why the fish is lauded for its nutrition.

On the other hand, salmon skin can also contain chemicals from polluted water.

The recommendation is not to eat fish skin more than once a week.

At any rate, unless you really know what you're doing, don't try to remove the skin from a raw salmon fillet. You don't need that kind of stress in your life.

SALMON WITH ANCHOVY-GARLIC BUTTER 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 4 anchovy fillets, minced 1 fat garlic clove, minced (or 2 small ones) 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 4 (6- to 8-ounce) skin-on salmon fillets 2 tablespoons drained capers, patted dry 1/2 lemon Fresh chopped parsley, for serving 1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, mash together butter, anchovies, garlic, salt and pepper. 2. In a large ovenproof skillet, melt about half the anchovy butter. Add fish, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes over high heat to brown the skin, spooning some of the pan drippings over the top of the fish as it cooks. Add capers to bottom of pan and transfer to oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. 3. Remove pan from oven and add remaining anchovy butter to pan to melt. Place salmon on plates and spoon buttery pan sauce over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the salmon and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve. -- New York Times - Per serving: 425 calories, 19 grams fat, 0.2 gram fiber, 59 grams protein, 0.5 gram carbohydrate, 761 milligrams sodium, 179 milligrams cholesterol Values are approximate.