The gutsy anchovy is one of the most versatile fish in the kitchen. It adds an incredible depth and intensity of flavour and can be used in so many ways — whole in a Caesar salad or on a pizza, "dissolved" into a Puttanesca pasta sauce, to give a tang to a roast. Hopefully this week's recipes will show why the humble anchovy is one of my favourite storecupboard ingredients.

You don't have to go to all the trouble of making a sauce to dress up a steak. Try adding flavourings to good-quality unsalted butter (I use Normandy butter) instead and serve sliced or shaped into pats or dainty quenelles. In the first recipe, butter is flavoured with anchovies, tarragon, parsley and black pepper and served with lamb leg steaks and flat mushrooms. Watch patiently as the butter melts over the mushroom, then tuck in to rediscover the classic combination of lamb and anchovies — simple food at its best.

It may come as a surprise to flavour a velouté-style sauce with something as strong and aromatic as tapenade (a paste made with capers, olives and anchovies). Trust me, it really works, especially with the rich and satisfying taste of red mullet. The tapenade will keep in a screw-topped jar in the fridge for up to two weeks, so hang on to a supply as an all-purpose seasoning. Try it spread neat on grilled fish, as a dip for croûtes, stirred into vinaigrette and to spice up a plain tomato pasta sauce.

Anchoïade is a speciality of Collioure, a city in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. It is a dip made from anchovies, garlic and olive oil, with a consistency similar to thin mayonnaise, and is usually served with crudités and crusty bread.

I also like to use it spread on puff pastry discs as a base for open tarts, as in my final recipe, anchoïade tartlets with artichokes, tomatoes and rocket. One word of warning when cooking with cured anchovies, though: hold back on adding any salt until you have tasted the food first. Anchovies usually add enough salt on their own.

Lamb leg steaks with anchovy butter

Serves 4

You can freeze the butter for up to one month. If you prefer, you can grill the mushrooms. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with some seasoning and cook under a high grill for 4-5 minutes on each side.

2 tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with skins Few sprigs of thyme

2 sprigs of rosemary

4 x 250g lamb leg steaks, about 2cm thick Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Few knobs of butter

4 large flat mushrooms, stalks removed

Squeeze of lemon juice

Sprigs of parsley, for garnishing

For the anchovy butter

50g anchovy fillets in oil, drained and patted dry

100g unsalted butter, softened

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp each freshly chopped tarragon and parsley

1. For the anchovy butter — roughly chop the fillets and put into a food processor. Add the butter and whizz to a paste, scraping down the sides of the container with a spatula once or twice.

2. Season to taste with black pepper and stir in the herbs. Spoon the butter on to a piece of clingfilm and shape into a sausage. Roll in the film until smooth then wrap tightly and chill until firm.

3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan with the garlic and herbs. Season the lamb then lift the steaks into the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes over a high heat. Turn the steaks over and cook for another 2 minutes.

4. Add the butter to the pan and fry the steaks for a final 1-2 minutes, spooning the oils and juices over the meat to help it brown and remain succulent. Transfer to a warm plate; leave to rest for 5 minutes.

5. Remove the garlic and herbs from the pan, then add the mushrooms with a few knobs of butter. Season the mushrooms and sauté over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, tossing and turning them until they have just softened. Squeeze over a little lemon juice towards the end of cooking.

6. Cut four thick slices from the log of anchovy butter and peel away the clingfilm. Serve each lamb steak with a mushroom and slice of anchovy butter on top. Garnish with parsley and serve with oven-baked chips and peas.

Red mullet with a tapenade sauce and sautéed potatoes

Serves 4

The sauce will also go with other full-flavoured meaty fish, such as salmon and char-grilled tuna.

700g even-sized Charlotte potatoes, washed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for frying

4 x 300g red mullet, filleted

For the tapenade

50g anchovy fillets in oil, well drained

200g pitted black olives

2 tbsp capers, drained

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the sauce

250ml fish stock

250ml dry white wine

50ml double cream

1-2 tbsp tapenade

1 tsp freshly chopped tarragon

1. Begin by making the tapenade. Place the anchovies, olives, capers, garlic and oil in a food processor and blend until smooth. Keep in the fridge, covered with a thin layer of olive oil, until ready to use.

2. Pour the fish stock and wine into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer uncovered, until the liquid has reduced by half.

3. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in a pan of salted water for 8 minutes. Drain and briefly refresh under cold running water. While still warm, peel off their skins then cut the potatoes into 1.5cm-thick slices.

4. Heat a large sauté pan with a thin layer of olive oil. Add a single layer of potatoes to the pan, season well and fry over medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. Keep warm.

5. Stir the cream and tapenade into the sauce. Return to the boil then simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the consistency of pouring cream. Check for seasoning.

6. Check the fish fillets for small pin bones, removing any you find with tweezers. Score the skin at 1cm intervals. Heat a wide frying pan until hot and add a little olive oil. Season the fish and add to the pan, skin-side down. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the skin is crisp. Carefully turn the fish over and finish cooking the other side for about 30 seconds.

7. Arrange the sautéed potatoes in the centre of warm serving plates. Place two fish fillets on top of each portion. Stir the tarragon into the sauce then spoon around the potatoes. Serve with wilted spinach.

Anchoïade tartlets with artichokes, tomatoes and rocket

Serves 4

Weighing the puff pastry down during baking will leave you with thin and crisp pastry discs, ideal for using as a light base for individual sweet and savoury tarts. The anchoïade is quite powerful, so spread just a thin layer over the pastry.

350g ready-made puff pastry

Flour, to dust

8 quail's eggs or 4 hen's eggs

150g ready-cooked artichoke hearts, cut into wedges

150g cherry tomatoes, halved

2 handfuls of rocket leaves

2-3 tbsp classic vinaigrette

For the anchoïade

60g anchovy fillets in oil, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

2 small shallots, roughly chopped

1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice

150ml olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

1. For the anchoïade, put the anchovies, garlic, shallots and vinegar in a food processor. Whizz until you have a smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the container a few times. Gradually trickle the oil on to the anchovy paste while the processor is still running. Season with pepper and stir in the parsley.

2. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface and cut out 4 circles, using a 13cm plate or saucer as a template. Lay the pastry circles on a large baking sheet and prick with a skewer. Place another baking sheet on top to weigh them down. Bake for 15 minutes until brown and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

3. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the quail's eggs and cook for 2 minutes, 10 seconds. Refresh under cold running water and peel off the shells. (If using hen's eggs, boil for 6 minutes for soft-boiled.)

4. Spread 1 tbsp of anchoïade on the centre of each pastry disc; pile the artichokes, tomatoes and rocket on top. Halve the quail's eggs; scatter over the tarts. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper; drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

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