Tiny pearls bursting with flavour
Lumpfish roe is a treasured delicacy in France and Scandinavia, where the tiny roe pearls are used in much the same way as traditional sturgeon caviar served as a dish in itself or as a garnish to add a luxury touch to other seafood dishes.
The roe of the lumpfish has a distinct seafood flavour with hints of sweetness, depth of umami and a touch of fresh and salty ocean aroma. In Scandinavia, the roe of the lumpfish is a traditional spring ingredient, often enjoyed in simple, uncomplicated dishes which allow the delicate flavours to shine. It is often served lightly salted on blinis or toasted rye sour dough bread with crème fraiche, diced red onion or chives and a sprig of dill. Off season, frozen roe or preserved roe in jars is used.
Gourmet servings
In high-end restaurants, the pink pearls are often used in delicate appetizers for example combined with mild flavours from asparagus, steamed fish, cucumber or avocados. The roe adds not only salty, ocean aromas, but also texture as the tiny spheres pops in the mouth when chewed, releasing their essences. Another serving idea could be to make a cold sauce by mixing generous amounts of roe with crème fraiche, chopped dill and a touch of grated lemon zest, salt and pepper. The sauce can be used as a topping for baked or boiled potatoes, or as a dipping sauce for bread sticks, potato crisps or vegetable sticks.
Jarred roe is available in an array of colours and with added flavour, for example wasabi or smoked. This makes it great to use as a garnish, adding the finishing touch on seafood dishes and even egg based servings. Try using smoked lumpfish roe to jazz up an omelet or try wasabi flavoured roe on your sushi, the bright green colour really makes a salmon nigiri pop.
Jarred roe is ready to use as it is, whereas frozen roe has to be defrosted, preferably slowly in the refrigerator, and seasoned with salt to the taste. Note that besides from the well-known roe of lumpfish, there are also other types of "caviar" available on the market, e.g. herring roe, cod roe and capelin roe as well as imitation products based on seaweed.
