Food Something Fishy Kitty Coles is hooked on the tinned fish trend A n anchovy draped over a buttery piece of warm bread or toast is arguably one of the best snacks you can eat especially when the sun is out and its day one of a holiday. Theres a little restaurant in London I love called Brutto, where they serve you a plate of toast, curls of butter and a little pile of anchovies to eat alongside a negroni. Its down a little cobbled street in Farringdon and if you go on a sunny afternoon you can almost pretend that youre in Florence. Tinned fish has become one of the most talked about food trends of the last few years theres even an Instagram account, @tinned_fish_reviews, with over 500,000 followers and its own merch, which tells you everything you need to know about where weve landed. None of this will come as a surprise to the Portuguese, who have been eating tinned fish for centuries. Conservas, as they call them, are TUNA TONNATO SALAD as embedded in their food culture as olive oil or bread. In Lisbon youll find dedicated tinned I love tuna and I regularly crave some sort of tuna salad, but fish shops selling beautifully illustrated tins of sometimes I want more: more of a meal, more tuna flavour, sardines, mackerel and tuna stacked floor to more crunchiness. So here is a non-traditional tonnato ceiling, the tins themselves so lovely you almost (which originates in Italy and is usually served with thin dont want to open them. The Portuguese have slices of pork), tossed with warm boiled potatoes, green beans and cucumber for a simple summer lunch. always known what the rest of us are only just catching up to: that a really good tin of fish, Serves 2 as a main, or 4 as a side treated with a little respect, is something worth Ingredients celebrating. 500g waxy potatoes (new, jersey royal, pink fir apple I used to hate anchovies. How could anyone or charlotte), larger ones halved 100g fine green beans, like a salty, oily old fish in a tin? Disgusting. But trimmed 125g tinned tuna in olive oil, drained A handful I remember the specific day I came around to of soft herbs, finely chopped (I like dill and parsley for this) them. I was at my friends bar in Mallorca (Bar 1 little gem or romaine lettuce head 1 small fennel bulb, or cucumber, trimmed, halved and thinly sliced Extra La Sang, a must-visit if youre in Palma) where virgin olive oil, for drizzling they serve a thick piece of sourdough toast with locally made burrata broken and spread For the tonnato dressing on top, four big anchovies draped over it and a 125g tinned tuna in olive oil, drained 2 tbsp mayonnaise or yoghurt, or a bit of both 12 garlic clove 1 tbsp capers, good glug of extra virgin olive oil. My friends drained Juice and zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp extra virgin sent it over as a gesture, which meant I had to olive oil Sea salt and black pepper eat it. Begrudgingly, I took a bite, fully expecting 1. Start by making the dressing. Put all the sauce to hide the anchovies in my bag but it was ingredients in a food processor with a splash of water, surprisingly delicious. So delicious I ordered season generously, then blend smooth: it should have the another. Ive loved them ever since. If youre still consistency of a thick dressing, so if needs be add more on the fence, keep tasting. Buy the good ones and water to loosen. try the toast, burrata and anchovy combination. 2. Put the potatoes in a saucepan of lightly salted cold I think youll come around. water, bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, until tender and cooked through. Add the green beans to the On my own quest to explore further, I tried pot for the last four minutes of cooking time. Drain the the recent social media trend of opening a tin potatoes and beans, then run them under the cold tap so of sardines, placing a cardboard kitchen roll on they cool slightly, and drain again. top and setting it alight so it burns and smokes 3. Put the potatoes and beans on a platter, then flake the the fish. I followed Ben Slaters (@slaterchef) second tin of tuna over the top. Add the herbs, torn lettuce method, which was delicious with his additions and sliced fennel, then drizzle over extra virgin olive oil and toast, lots of butter, mustard and chives. It a few generous tablespoons of the tonnato dressing. Toss worked, and it was good, but I prefer the far everything to coat, then serve with extra sauce on the side. 42 May 2026 THE GLOSS MAGAZINE simpler method of peeling back the tin and placing it under a hot grill for a few minutes. Less drama, less interesting for a viral video, but equally as good. And considerably less likely to set off the smoke alarm. Ive been collecting various brands of tinned fish to taste for this article, so I thought Id invite some friends over for drinks on a Friday night and serve a spread along with a cold beer as everyone arrived. I laid out five varieties: mussels en escabeche, sardines in olive oil and lemon, yellowfin tuna in olive oil, anchovies and mackerel. Alongside good butter, a parsley, chive and shallot salad dressed with lemon and olive oil, and the best baguette I could find. For how little effort it took, it looked impressive. A word of warning: the quality of tinned fish varies, and it matters enormously. A bad tin of sardines is exactly what you imagine grey, mealy and depressing. A good sardine is firm, flavourful and perfect on a piece of buttered bread. So buy the best tins you can, it makes all the difference. Ortiz, Shines, Sea Sisters, Luri, Olasagasti and Rock Fish are all worth seeking out. The Rock Fish mussels escabeche in particular were a hit. If youd like to serve something more substantial than a spread, Ive shared my recipe for tuna tonnato salad with baby potatoes, green beans and cucumber, which is perfect for a summer lunch. Its safe to say Ive become hooked on tinned fish, so Ill do a deep dive in THE GLOSS Table newsletter this month if you want to read more. @kittycoles A SWEDISH SUMMERHOUSE / DESTINATION DINING / SUNNY DELIGHTS / SMART PACKING / ANDREW SCOTT / BRINGING BALLET BACK MAGAZINE MAY 2026 with THE IRISH TIMES LETS GET AWAY SUN-SOAKED STYLE Creative Retreats o ss .i e hegl w.t ww Dream Destinations Contents IN THIS ISSUE THE GLOSS MONTHLY REMINDER SIGN UP to receive a monthly reminder by email when THE GLOSS is out so that you never miss an issue. Simply register your details on WWW.THEGLOSS.IE. EDITOR JE NNIFE R STE V E NS D EP UT Y ED IT OR S Í O MHA CO NNO LLY S TYLE E D I T O R AISLI Glossip TWO UP Heating Up Gloss~ip! 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Iv Restaurants Restaurant Notes These restaurants are worth booking a short flight for, says Ciara McQuillan SIMPSONS IN THE STRAND, UK: THE TICKET Recently reopened under hospitality legend Jeremy King, London institution Simpsons in the Strand preserves its old-world charm with polished wood-pane Food Something Fishy Kitty Coles is hooked on the tinned fish trend A n anchovy draped over a buttery piece of warm bread or toast is arguably one of the best snacks you can eat especially when the sun is out and its day one of a holiday. 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