Bottarga

Caviar De Neuvic - Preserved Mullet Roe - Bottarga

Bottarga is the roe of a fish, most commonly grey mullet, which is salted, massaged to expel air pockets, then pressed and dried. It's a delicacy the world over, and it dates back to ancient times. Almost anywhere humans fished, it seems, once they learned of this preservation technique, they extracted fish roe sacs and salted and dried them to produce a deeply savoury pantry staple. Bottarga is wonderful to eat with vegetables, grated over almost any starch or grain, or just on its own, sliced paper-thin and seasoned with a little salt or soy sauce, a squeeze of lemon, and a slick of flavourful oil.

Bottarga can be used with any number of different foods. Like soy sauce, or fish sauce, or Parmigiano-Reggiano, it's an easy and quick way to add savoury richness to dishes, whether it's pasta or eggs,  it always feels special.

Usage: It is excellent grated over pasta, particularly in simpler preparations, like Aglio e olio or,  It is a wonderful accent for the humble boiled egg, whether hard- or soft-boiled; it is a fine addition to a plate of soft-scrambled eggs. The only note of caution is you should avoid cooking bottarga.