Bottarga ,its fish roe so its nose to tail or near enough

[snorkelinggirl]

Clarissa, morning...  Give shad roe a try...  should be shad in the Columbia now or pretty quick...     Dave

Thanks for the info, Dave!  I'll hit up my local fish guy and see if he can score me some Columbia shad!

Have a great day!

Clarissa

 

[moikel]

It's all about the salt! It can be bit much for some people but bottarga is a flavouring like ChefJJ says. I counter it by balancing what it goes on . Other fish roe works just haven't found one in mullets league yet,still good but mullet just always turns out the best ! Might be something to do with relative moisture content.
,

 

[moikel]

OK I thought I  would post at least something while the new season stuff is curing. So I  made a seasonal salad thats all Italian. Theres 2 types of radicchio ,red & white,fennel,cucumbers,radish & bell peppers.Croutons which I got in via an exemption to the bread embargo.

Then I  took the best of last seasons bottarga ,mullet ,chopped it put it in warm EVO.Let it sit .That will be the dressing.

Its in keeping with the Sardinian kitchen what you could grow then the preserved protein ,all very seasonal.

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• moikel
• May 17, 2013

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• moikel
• May 17, 2013

 

[moikel]

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• moikel
• May 17, 2013

Pretty good if I do say myself.But thats the end of the 2012 primo grade bottarga. Nice way to eat it.

 

[moikel]

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• moikel
• May 21, 2013

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• moikel
• May 21, 2013

 

[moikel]

Sorry didnt have time to write & cook.This is finished product really old school simple pasta con bottarga.Shallot,garlic ,chilli ,parsley ,EVO & butter..Put the drained cooked pasta in the pan with that ,TOSS ,PLATE.  Then add bottarga done. I had to trim some of the current work in progress stuff where sacks had split ,its not quite set another day.Some of the moisture still in some of the roe sacks. You are looking for uniformity of colour & for no moisture on the outside.

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• moikel
• May 21, 2013

That was a  meal its pretty rich but I suppose thats the original point it was concentrated protein that allowed you to stretch to feed people. I figure it only hit gourmet status later. I went through all the old stock tonight.Some of it is as hard as parmesan & just as grateable but its the other fish. Still perfectly edible. 

I am going to need one of those Italian digestivo's,lucky I have some in my bar.

I will get a cross section up photo up in a day or 2.

 

[snorkelinggirl]

Hi Mick,

Another gorgeous dish!  I've really enjoyed following this thread, and am looking forward to seeing the x-sec picture in a couple of days!

Thanks for posting on the continuing bottarga adventures!

Clarissa

 

[moikel]

I figure the cost is driven by the labour involved in fiddling with it to get it cured all the way through. Lot of handling ,turning,etc.Better done by some gentle type not big oafish me! I can't
sun dry it so it takes longer. They don't dry uniformly either I have some going out today but only had enough for 2 people rest is 3 days away from ready.

 

[moikel]

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• moikel
• May 23, 2013

Last season mullet,grates on the micro grater easy.

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• moikel
• May 23, 2013

This season ,still soft you would have to chop it.It will keep drying over time..It still has give but I will let season without further pressing.

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• moikel
• May 23, 2013

Thats kingfish from xmas one set of roe sacks was a kg. Caught by local pro fishermen at my weekender .

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• moikel
• May 23, 2013

Lat season grates a treat!

 

[moikel]

Sorry  "last' season .Kingfish was pretty good actually. Dont know if theres a USA equivalent ,great eating fish, sashimi ,grilled ,smoked, or gravalax. Tough customers on rod & reel,fight dirty, sort of a reef /structure fish blue water brawler . But the lowly mullet has better roe.

 

[moikel]

Clarissa I wouldn't get to hung up on shad I would try whatever roe you can get. The Italian community here use whatever they can find at the market as long as its sparkling fresh.

 

[Bearcarver]

Clarissa I wouldn't get to hung up on shad I would try whatever roe you can get. The Italian community here use whatever they can find at the market as long as its sparkling fresh.

Good point !!!  

My favorite Roe is actually from fresh caught Suckers.

Then Shad Roe.

Then, though they are small, compared to Shad & Sucker, it would be Bass, Bluegill, Perch, and Sunfish.

I tried a couple salt water variety Roe, and didn't much care for them.

However, at least around here, if you're going to buy Roe in a market, it would have to be Shad. I think Clarissa would only have that option too.

Bear

 

[moikel]

I figure its just about what's available & fresh ! I am not a fish expert but there must be different egg sizes from what I see on TV. I do know that tuna is a big deal for bottarga in Italy. A seasoned traveller told me it gets shaved over tuna or swordfish carpaccio in Europe . Fancy food but very paleo ,very summer.
I reckon there is a cold smoking window there as well.Do you want to have a think about that Bear?

 

[moikel]

I figure its just about what's available & fresh ! I am not a fish expert but there must be different egg sizes from what I see on TV. I do know that tuna is a big deal for bottarga in Italy. A seasoned traveller told me it gets shaved over tuna or swordfish carpaccio in Europe . Fancy food but very paleo ,very summer.
I reckon there is a cold smoking window there as well.Do you want to have a think about that Bear?

 

[Bearcarver]

I don't eat any kind of uncooked fish or roe. Cold smoke it awhile, and then take it to 145---yes, but no raw fish for me.

Bear

 

[snorkelinggirl]

Thanks for the suggestions, Mick and Bear.  Both of the local fish markets in town now have my name & number and are on the lookout for shad roe for me. There is actually a Sardinian importer located in Portland, and they actually listed bottarga as something they import in. Next time I'm up in Portland I may check them out just out of curiousity.

I'll let you guys know if I can get a hold of any of the roe.

Have a great night!

Clarissa

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the suggestions, Mick and Bear.  Both of the local fish markets in town now have my name & number and are on the lookout for shad roe for me. There is actually a Sardinian importer located in Portland, and they actually listed bottarga as something they import in. Next time I'm up in Portland I may check them out just out of curiousity.

I'll let you guys know if I can get a hold of any of the roe.

Have a great night!

Clarissa

I don't know how they run in your area, but on the East coast they start running up the Florida Rivers in March (I think), and they work their way up the coast, running the Delaware River (PA & Jersey) in late April, May, and early June-----Finishing up in New England Rivers shortly after. The Shad runs are triggered by water temp.

Bear

 

[snorkelinggirl]

I don't know how they run in your area, but on the East coast they start running up the Florida Rivers in March (I think), and they work their way up the coast, running the Delaware River (PA & Jersey) in late April, May, and early June-----Finishing up in New England Rivers shortly after. The Shad runs are triggered by water temp.

Bear

Yeah, the owner of the better fish store in town knew about shad roe, and said that shad were running in the Columbia River in June. Which is also what DaveOmak mentioned earlier in this thread, so I'm encouraged. If I can get a hold of some I'll try your favorite way of making it using your recent post as a guide.  I'll let you guys know.

 

[moikel]

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• moikel
• May 31, 2013

This from a fish called mirror dory.Nice enough fried bearcarver style but I cant get it to set like mullet. Lovely pink colour the best.When its redder /darker fair indicator fish has been squashed up in the net.

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• moikel
• May 31, 2013

Sneaky buggers,froze mullet roe from 2 weeks ago then defrosted it put it back out again.

 They were keeping that fact quiet but I have my sources. The kina is sea urchin roe ,not sure about it yet.I need to do a bit more research,eaten raw I know that much.

 

[leah elisheva]

Hi there!

Just finding this thread (as I am new and still meandering around and so kindly humor me please) and I ADORE Bottarga! I love making black rice pasta with shaved Bottarga added in and then grilled whole sardines alongside with it, (and recently did smoked whole sardines, since I'm now in a fun smoking jag), but how very lovely to see this thread! (I'm a grilled red mullet fan, and devotee of grey mullet roe, and this is just incredible to see)! Wonderful job!

Cheers! - Leah