I just made Serious Eats All-American Beef Stew earlier today, and they call for anchovies (which I had none, so I substituted fish sauce) as the umami bomb. But even for folks who get grossed out by little fish, it gets blended with chicken stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce (and gelatin), to create the base. Fish sauce has become a staple in my house for certain recipes, it’s great.