Caviar Demystified

Tori Ritchie On The Affordable, Domestic Kind — And How To Serve It

(CBS)  RECIPES

Scrambled Eggs with Caviar

This dish adds an elegant note to brunch. Serve with toast points alongside.

6 eggs
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives
1.75 oz. caviar

Using an egg topper, remove the top 1/4 from 4 of the eggs, being careful to remove only the top. Pour the yolks and whites into a small bowl and set the eggshells aside. Crack open the remaining 2 eggs and add the yolks and whites to the bowl; discard those shells. Using a fork, beat the eggs until thoroughly blended.

Bring a small saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium so the water maintains a simmer. Place one of the reserved eggshells in the simmering water for 10 to 15 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the eggshell and place upside down on a paper towel-lined plate to dry. Repeat with the remaining eggshells.

In a nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the eggs have thickened into small curds, 3 to 5 minutes.

Place the empty eggshells in egg cups. Fill the shells with the scrambled eggs, dividing evenly. Garnish with the chives and a small spoonful of caviar. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Gaufrette Potatoes with Caviar and Crème Fraîche

These wonderfully crispy hors d'oeuvres are easy to make and will disappear fast at a cocktail party or buffet. You can fry the potato chips a few hours in advance, then store them in an airtight container. Top with the crème fraîche, caviar and chives just before serving.

1 large russet potato, peeled
Canola oil for deep-frying
Coarse sea salt, to taste
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1.75 oz. caviar
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Using a mandoline with the waffle-cut attachment, cut the potato as thinly as possible, turning it 90 degrees after each pass to create a waffle pattern. Carefully place the potato slices in a bowl of cold water.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, pour in oil to a depth of 1/2 inch and heat to 375ºF on a deep-frying thermometer. Transfer the potato slices to a baking sheet lined with a kitchen towel and blot dry.

Working in small batches, fry the potato slices, turning once, until golden and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, carefully transfer the chips to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining potato slices.

Arrange the potato chips on a serving platter. Top each chip with some of the crème fraîche and caviar. Garnish with the chives and serve immediately.

Makes 20 to 30 hors d'oeuvres.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

New Potatoes with Caviar

For an attractive presentation, use golden caviar, salmon roe and, if you can afford it, the real thing, caviar.

1 1/2 lb. small new red potatoes, 12 to 16, unpeeled and well scrubbed
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
3/4 cup sour cream or crème fraîche
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh chives
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of freshly ground white pepper
2 oz. any variety of caviar or fish roe
Fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs or watercress for garnish

Preheat an oven to 475°F.

Place the potatoes on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until cooked through and slightly crispy, 45 to 50 minutes; prick with a knife or skewer to test for doneness. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cut each potato in half crosswise. If the ends of any potatoes are uneven, cut off a thin slice from them so they will stand upright once they are filled. Carefully scoop out all the pulp from each half, leaving only a thin shell. Place the pulp in a bowl. Return the potato shells to the baking sheet, hollow sides down, and brush the skins with the oil.

Return to the oven and bake until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 425°F.

Add 1/2 cup of the sour cream, the chives, salt and white pepper to the potato pulp and mix well. Pack the potato mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip and pipe the mixture into the shells. Alternatively, using a small teaspoon, spoon the mixture into the shells.

Place the filled potatoes on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Arrange the potatoes on a serving platter. Garnish each with a dollop of the remaining sour cream, then of caviar. Garnish the platter with parsley sprigs and serve immediately.

Serves 10 to 12 as an appetizer.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library Series, Potatoes, by Diane Rossen Worthington (Time-Life Books, 1993).

[cantshutup]

sick! snails are nasty! why would you eat them??? pour salt on them and kill them...yuck, yuck, yuck! lol

fish eggs are gross too! THINK ABOUT IT!!!