Caviar, like the ones from Fauchon, used to be an indulgence reserved for special occasions or the wealthy. These days, it’s relatively easy to find different types of American caviar, from Spoonbill to Sturgeon. American Sturgeon is still a bit pricey, but Spoonbill and Paddlefish have lovely flavor and won’t break your wallet. And if you’re tired of serving caviar with toast points, here are a few other ideas from the Food And Travel Nation Network lockbox.
Appetizer – Red Potatoes with Caviar and Creme Fraiche
Ingredients
Small new potatoes
1 ounce of American caviar
Creme fraiche
Method
Boil new potatoes for about ten minutes or until easily pierced with the tip of a knife. Allow to cool in the refrigerator. Slice a tiny piece off the bottom of each potato so they will stand upright. Slice a piece off the top and scoop out some of the flesh with a melon baller. Fill with creme fraiche and top with a dollop of caviar. Serve with champagne.
Here’s a quick little recipe that will “wow” your friends. It literally takes less than ten minutes to make.Boursin Benedict with Caviar
Ingredients
1 large apple
4 large eggs
2 tsp white vinegar
2 TB butter
4 oz of Shitake mushrooms
2 oz of Boursin cheese with chives (or add 1 TB of fresh chives when you make the sauce)
1 TB flour
1/2 cup of whole milk
2 pinches of sea salt and white pepper
1/4 lb of Prosciutto de Parma
1/2 oz of American caviar
chives for garnish (optional)
Method
Fill a large frying pan with about 2 inches of water. Add vinegar. Place on the stove over high heat until it starts to simmer, then turn down to medium. Crack ONE egg into a cup to make sure yolk is intact and no shell is present. Pour carefully into pan, keeping yolk intact and swirl the white around the yolk with a wooden spoon. Carefully run spoon under egg to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Repeat with other eggs. Simmer for 2 minutes or until white is coagulated. Remove with slotted spoon to a plate. Cover to keep warm.
Using apple corer, core apple. Slice apple across into 4 thick slices, about 3/4″ thick. Empty water from frying pan and add 1 TB of butter. Heat over medium high eat. When butter melts add apple slices. Quickly saute about 2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove to the plate with the eggs. Cover.
Remove stems from Shitakes. Slice caps into strips. In the same pan (which should still have butter in it) add mushrooms. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper. Saute over medium high heat for a couple of minutes until they start to turn golden. Remove to the same plate. Cover.
Rinse the pan and wipe it out. Add last TB of butter and the flour. Over medium high heat, stir with wooden spoon until butter melts and a roux forms. Add milk and whisk until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Add cheese and chives (if using). Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning.
For serving, add a slice of apple to the center of each plate. Add a slice of prosciutto mounded on each apple. Add a poached egg on top to each plate. Spoon over a couple tablespoons of sauce. Add a dollop of caviar. Scatter the Shitakes around the plate. Serve.
If you want to make a romantic lobster dish that’s a little different, check out my recipe for butter-poached lobster with red wine fettuccine in caviar sauce. It’s an easy dish you can make at home to “wow” your friends, family or date. It’s still an elegant dish with the pasta and caviar, if you want to omit the lobster.
Ingredients
1 Brazilian lobster tail or 1 lb lobster
1 stick butter
1 bottle of red wine (750 ml)
sea salt
1 10 oz package fresh fettuccine (refrigerated section)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 ounce caviar
exotic peppercorn blend
Method
Using a large pot, boil water and poach lobster for 5 minutes. Remove and cool. Take off shell and cut lobster meat into bite-sized pieces. Rinse pot and add the whole bottle of wine. Bring to a boil. Add sea salt as you would to pasta water. In a 2-quart saucepan, add 1 TB water. Cut butter into 8 TB. Whisk in 1 TB at a time until you have a butter emulsion. Add pasta to water. Boil for time listed on package. Put lobster in saucepan with the butter and simmer for 5 minutes (don’t let boil). Drain pasta, add yogurt and caviar, using tongs to coat the pasta. Using a slotted spoon, take out lobster meat from the saucepan and scatter around the plate. Grind a little exotic peppercorn around the edge of the plate. Serve immediately.
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