To Start: Lobster Cream with Shavings of Bottarga
I thought it would be nice for tonight's dinner to feature ingredients I had brought back from Sicily. To start, we will be having a creamy lobster soup, its crustacean sweetness tempered by shavings of bottarga - the preserved tuna roe commonly used in both Sicilian and Sardinian cooking, often called "the caviar of the poor". Whole egg sacs, extricated as soon as the tuna is caught, are cleaned, brined, washed, salted and massaged by hand over a period of weeks before being pressed (hence its petrified wood-like appearance, as you can see in the background of the picture) and sun-dried.
posted by Joycelyn at Friday, June 24, 2005
4 Comments:
Do you know what tuna roe (when you can get it)costs here? - hardly caviar for the poor but was the bottarga the only thing from Sicily? Did you bring the lobsters from Sicily as well?
Been observing your site, images and of course (you know it!) writing skills (which is second to none - it is clear) - so obviously you care for food (as i do) - how do you get your lobsters and which origins do you prefer?
Will you share ever some thoughts on lobsters? Being a fan of lobsters and shellfish (to a smaller degree) i wish i had the luxury of time to explore this subject.. our warm water lobster differ from cool water lobsters. Do cooks have a preference (ie. grilling, risotto, pasta, stews, bisques etc) - every lobster surely has a good purpose?
Also getting the meat intact (for presentation) from the claw may be akin to the task you face deboning the trotter of a swine (i find)
This looks so delicious, could you post the recipe some time? Have you tried Karasumi which is a Japanese version of Bottarga...?
hi keiko, thanks! will get round to posting the recipe sometime - am terrible at this...have only tried nagasaki karasumi once and remember the flavour to be wonderfully delicate, more subtle than bottarga...
Dear Keiko:
My name is Chris Katopodis.
We have for generations, a tradition in our family of making Karasumi/Avgotaracho/Poutarque/Bottarga DiMugine/Mullet Bottarga.
Please, for more information visit our new online store at www.bottargaclub.com
As I was reading your recipe (http://brandoesq.blogspot.com/2005/06/to-start-lobster-cream-with-shavings.html) and, I become so happy to find out about you and your background plus the recipe above for a very fine and exclusive dish.
Keiko, I would appreciate if you can share with your readers about Lefkas Mullet Bottarga from the Katopodis Family.
I will be more than happy to add your recipe and a link to your official blog site in our recipes section located on http://www.bottargaclub.com/Bottarga_Recipes.asp.
You can reach me on my cell 407-738-2227 and or e-mail for additional information and for ordering just visit our online store (http://www.bottargaclub.com/ProductD.asp?PID=6938&product=Lefkas%20Mullet%20Bottarga).
Best Regards,
Chris Katopodis
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