How many anchovies for a tablespoon of anchovy essence?

[BIWI]

I'm planning on making a Simon Hopkinson recipe (lamb breast baked with onions), which includes anchovy essence in the ingredients. I've made it before and it's absolutely delicious.

However, when I went shopping yesterday, there was no anchovy essence to be found, so I bought a small tin of anchovies instead.

I have no idea how many anchovies I need to use. In the recipe it says:

• 2-3 tbsp anchovy essence (or several finely chopped anchovies), or to taste

The thing is, I don't actually like anchovies. I remember that when I've made it before you really couldn't taste them, using the paste, and I know that anchovies make a great seasoning. But I don't want to spend the time (this recipe takes around 3-4 hours to make) to make something that's just for me, as no-one else in the house likes fatty lamb, if I'm not going to like it either!

So how many would you think 'several' means?!

Around 4-5.

Mmmm.. anchovies and lamb, it's a match made in heaven.
I'll stud a leg/shoulder joint with pieces of anchovy, garlic, and rosemary and it's fantastic.

I agree, 4-6. You won't taste the anchovy when they're slow cooked. They melt away to nothing and you just get the salty umami hit.

My DH makes something similar and uses a whole tin (I adore anchovies) agree with the above the taste will not be strong but just enough to taste a little saltiness.

Lashings of garlic and anchovies go so well with lamb and its just delicious!

Thank you both! Will go for that. Probably err on the lighter side and use 5

The trouble is, it goes very quickly from 'seasoning' to 'flavour' - and I really don't like the flavour of anchovy!

If you dont like the flavour, just miss it out!
Why make something and not like the ingredients?????

Because anchovy has a role in seasoning as well as flavouring. Read my posts!

And, as I've made it before, and really enjoyed it with the requisite amount of anchovy paste I wanted to recreate that again.

People often just use fish sauce instead of anchovies

Because it's a functional ingredient, and if you miss it out the flavour will be completely wrong. It will be under salted and lacking umami.

Well, my dilemma was solved! Went to Waitrose yesterday and they had some there.