Diet sardines or anchovies What is the difference?

Sardines and anchovies: know the difference?
Sometimes names cause confusion. Sardines and anchovies are very similar with their silvery skin and slim form. In fact, both fish belong to the herring species and are closely related. Their names derive from the Latin word "sarda" for herring. In powerful swarms they roam the seas; that protects them very well from natural enemies.

Anchovies or sardines? What is the difference? Picture: Lilli-fotolia

The sardine (Sardina pilchardus) can be over 20 cm long and is thus slightly larger and roundish than the anchovy. Experts call the smaller specimens sardines and the big fish pilchard. The sardine is often fried or grilled as a whole fish. On the German market, however, they are mainly available as canned goods "sardine in oil" - whole, with or without head, as filet with or without skin and in different flavors.
The anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) is smaller and slenderer than the sardine with an average length of 10 cm. In cross-section, it is rather oval. The soft and juicy meat is usually preserved with salt and inserted as a filet in olive oil. The taste is very intense and develops through an enzymatic maturation process after salting. In Germany, for example, it is available as salted anchovy, anchovy fillet, anchovy ring and anchovy paste.

Fresh anchovies are found predominantly in the Mediterranean countries. In the kitchen, they can be prepared in many ways - as antipasti, fresh or marinated, breaded or fried. By the way, anchovies, French Anchois, are European anchovies that are mostly filleted in a salty or sweet and sour brine. Heike Kreutz, bzfe.de