White Bean Anchoïade

At The Anchovy Bar in San Francisco’s Fillmore district, the tiny, salty eponymous fish is the star of the menu. During the season, which takes place from May to October in the Bay Area, chef Stuart Brioza cures his own mere moments after they’ve been delivered to the piers. But when fresh anchovies aren’t on hand, he chooses high-quality varieties cured in Spain or Italy, like Delfino Battista. A white bean dip called anchoïade is an excellent vessel for umami-laden anchovies, combining the creaminess of white beans with salty capers, bright lemon, and chile flakes for a thick, rich spread. Brioza and his team fry slabs of sourdough bread in olive oil before spackling them with the stuff, then topping the toasts with long-cooked broccolini, orange zest, and a few more whole, plump anchovies for good measure. Brioza uses French Tarbais beans, but cannellinis are a more convenient and readily available substitute.