Sardines, anchovies, and tuna are not a compromise. They are among the best-value, most useful things you can keep on a shelf.
Somewhere along the way tinned fish picked up a reputation as a last resort, and it is time to set the record straight. Along the whole northern rim of the Mediterranean, tinned sardines and anchovies are not emergency food -- they are a delicacy, eaten with good bread and a glass of something cold, and treated with the respect you would give any fine ingredient.
Anchovies in particular are a secret weapon. Melted into warm oil at the start of a sauce, they disappear completely and leave behind a savory depth that no one can quite place. A tin costs little and lasts for months, and a single fillet can transform a pan of greens, a tomato sauce, or a dressing. This is seasoning as much as it is fish.
Sardines and good tuna, meanwhile, are dinner. Flaked over a bean salad, piled onto toast with a squeeze of lemon, or folded through pasta with garlic and chili, they turn pantry staples into a real meal in minutes. Buy them packed in olive oil, spend a little more than the cheapest tier, and keep a small stack on the shelf. On the nights you have nothing planned, you will be glad they are there.
