Anchoiade, or anchoyade, has been described as the hors d'oeuvre de rigueur for every country lunch.

Each person at a 19th Century country lunch had slices of semidry bread and small pieces of fresh bread. Anchovy fillets were bathed in a plate of olive oil and laid on the dry bread, while pieces of fresh bread were repeatedly dipped in the olive oil, pressed, sponged and rubbed on the anchovy fillets, then eaten. Finally, when the semidry crust was impregnated with disintegrated anchovy and olive oil, it was grilled over embers and eaten.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (4fl oz/125mil) olive oil

1 teaspoon Provencal herb vinegar

10-12 salt anchovies, rinsed and filleted

Freshly ground pepper

1 semidry baguette, cut crosswise into quarters, then split in half lengthwise and surfaces dried in the sun or in a slow oven

3 or 4 cloves garlic

Warm the olive oil, vinegar and anchovies in a flameproof earthenware casserole or heavy saute pan over the lowest possible heat. The anchovies should not cook, but will melt in contact with the warmth. Grind in pepper to taste and stir to mix. Rub the dried cut surfaces of bread with the garlic cloves and spread them with the oil-anchovy mixture. Leave for 1 hour or so until the bread is thoroughly saturated.

Meanwhile, prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a broiler. Place the bread slices on a grill rack over the dying embers or under the broiler and grill first on the crust side and then on the anchovy spread side.

Serve hot. (serves 4)