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Monday, March 2, 2009

Caviar Appreciation 101: ...Even a Caveman Can Eat it.

'Caviar' has been around a long time. Indeed it it one of the 'essential edibles' that has stood the test of time. It's long association with royalty, nobility and the elite is n'ether a fact to sniff at. In modern history fish roe, in its various forms, has stablished itself as an agent of sustinance for indigent peoples and other populations known to have the ability to speak and communicate with the nature. Truly, it has viably established itself as a classic luxury, and it may very well play the most important part in retaining a sense of civilization in a decadent world.

My favorite type of 'caviar' or fish roe, hands down, is by far, Sardinian Bottarga. The sultry delicacy of the mediterranean is reportedly the oldest type of 'caviar' in history. Written and oral sources of history recount that early Hebrew populations located in Egypt and various points within the Mediterranean from Greece to Sicily. The present day term can be traced to the Arabic, 'butarikh', which means 'salted roe'. In early periods prior to the 1500's salting and drying were among the only options for preserving perishable food.

The preferred type of fish used of which to extract the roe was the Grey (or Silver) Mullet. Tuna, swordfish and other types or fish roe are used, but Mullet is considered 'classic', and most preferred by purists ( such as I like to believe myself to be). Sardinia Island is an area that has proven to remain among those most true to [this] tradition.

Bottarga di Muggine comes in two basic forms, vacuum packed cured double roes, and grated. The later may be vacuumed packed or packaged in a jar. It has an exceptionally long shelf life and can be stored nearly for years on end. In Italy, a favorite way to serve bottarga is with hot pasta dishes:

Spaghetti alla Bottarga (serves Four)

1 pound spaghetti (No. 5 size, if possible)1 ounce ‘bottarga di muggine’ (roe or grated form)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic
Crushed red pepper to tastePreparation

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet heat olive oil, add garlic cloves, sautee until slightly golden. Remove cooked cloves from pan. Add about two table spoons of ground or grated Bottarga and about 4 teaspoons of hot water (from spaghetti) and toss. Add spaghetti to skillet mixture. Heat pan to medium and sauté for another few moments. Toss then turn spaghetti onto serving plate. Add another two table spooons or so (or less) of grated Bottarga. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Clams and Bottarga (Serves Four)

¾ pound spaghetti (No. 5 size, if possible)
1 ½ pound fresh clams in shell – scrubbed and debearded
1 ounce ‘bottarga di muggine’ (roe or grated form)
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
½ cup of Italian parsley
Crushed red pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside. In a large skillet heat olive oil, Add the clams, ½ of the Italian parsley and garlic cloves. Sautee briefly then steam for five to seven minutes. Add spaghetti to mixture along with about ¼ cup of its cooking water. Let the spaghetti finish cooking uncovered for anther 2 to 3 minutes – until flavors are well absorbed. Stir in remaining parsley, and top with a bit of grated Bottarga, if desired. Serve immediately.

Caviar Princess Hints: Use fresh herbs and fresh pasta is best whenever available.

Another delectable way to enjoy Bottarga di Muggine is to cut from an entire cured double roe, in paper thin slices. Squeeze fresh lemon and drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil over the top and place on paper thin 'pane carasau', crackers or doughy pulled pieces if Italian bread. Food of the Gods, is the only way to describe it. Pair with a Cananau or other rich red.

Buon Appetito Tutti,
Marcia

1 comment:

  1. hi mom! its me carmi your daughter! nice to see you have a website blog thing, BLOG ON!

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