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How To Store Caviar

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 05:30:29 -0800

Yesterday, I offered some tips for tasting and serving caviar, courtesy of Michael Kupfer and Ali Bolourchi of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer. I caught up with them while enjoying some Siberian sturgeon roe, and got some pointers on how to keep caviar in its best condition. To learn more about storing sturgeon roe, read more.

The ideal temperature for storing caviar is between 28ºF and 30ºF.
Set the eggs in the coldest part of your refrigerator, atop packs of ice. Since caviar has such a high salt content, don't worry about it freezing,
Caviar that's been vacuum-sealed will keep up to 90 days. Kupfer recommends consuming it within 60 days.
Once opened, sturgeon roe has a shelf life of less than a week; after 48 hours, the caviar, due to exposure to oxygen, loses its integrity and begins to break down.

Now that I know how to properly care for my caviar, I'm looking forward to purchasing some for myself. Will these tips inspire you to buy a jar for entertaining at home?

Tips For Enjoying Caviar

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:23:56 -0800

Last weekend, PartySugar and I spent most of our time eating and drinking at the Winter Fancy Foods Show, the largest food show in North America. With more than 250,000 food and beverage products on display, one could say that perhaps I bit off a little more than I could chew.

We tasted wine, cheese, meat, and everything else you can think of (more on that later!), but one of the biggest highlights had to be learning more about caviar from the pros. I turned to Ali Bolourchi and Michael Kupfer of Pacific Plaza Imports, a California-based caviar importer, to get some tips. To find out how to serve, taste, and enjoy caviar, read more.

What to buy: True caviar, the most prized (and therefore expensive!) is from Russian sturgeon. However, if you've never tasted caviar, American sturgeon is a great starting point, and only costs $20 to $25 an ounce - a fraction of the cost of the real thing. Also, know what it is that you're tasting: Neither red caviar or salmon roe is technically caviar. Genuine caviar falls under three categories: beluga, osetra, and sevruga.
How to taste: The best caviar should be devoid of smell, and should taste clean, buttery, and not too salty. The eggs should have a nice pop to them, and shouldn't be soupy or sticky.
How to serve: Buy a mother-of-pearl spoon to scoop the caviar, as metal imparts an unwanted flavor to the eggs. Each taste should contain a gram or two of caviar. Serve on a toast point, canapé, or blini, with smoked salmon, creme fraîche, lemon, and chive.
If you truly want to taste the pure flavor of caviar, serve the caviar solo on the nook of the hand between the index finger and thumb.

Of course, I couldn't learn fully without experiencing the taste of caviar. Michael served DeSietra Farms Siberian sturgeon caviar that was sustainably farmed in Germany. It was not fishy at all, and subtly briny, with a nutty finish - the perfect way to end a lesson about caviar.

Are you a fan of the delicacy? What are your favorite ways to enjoy it?

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Come Party With Me: New Year's Day Lunch - Menu

partysugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 11:45:32 -0800

Instead of hosting a crazy party on New Year's Eve, invite friends and family over for a decadent lunch on Jan. 1. Begin the soirée in the early afternoon (around 2:30) to allow late-night partygoers plenty of time to recover. Serve a menu that is rich, satisfying, and luxurious.

Start with caviar on brioche toasts with creme fraiche. Slice smoked salmon and cream cheese frittata into bite-size pieces and serve as appetizers. Have guests sit down to a creamy leek and potato soup paired with a simple salad of mixed greens dressed with champagne vinaigrette.

This menu would also make a delightful first day of the year dinner. To check out the recipes, read more.

Toasted Brioche Rounds With Creme Fraiche and Caviar
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

1 one-pound loaf brioche, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 eight-ounce container creme fraiche or sour cream
2 ounces black caviar, or more

Directions

Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut 36 rounds of brioche from slices.
Place 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch skillet. Melt over medium heat. Add half the rounds; cook until golden, turning once, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining butter and rounds. Let cool on a wire rack or paper towel. Store rounds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Place a dollop of creme fraiche on each round, and top with caviar.

Makes 36 appetizers.

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Smoked-Salmon and Cream Cheese Frittata
From Gourmet

Ingredients

8 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil or vegetable oil
2 oz cold cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon, chopped
thinly sliced red or sweet onion, optional for serving

Directions

Whisk together eggs, milk, chives, basil, pepper, and salt in a bowl.
Preheat broiler.
Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet (if handle is plastic, wrap it in a double layer of foil) over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Pour egg mixture into skillet and scatter cream cheese pieces on top, then cook, lifting up cooked egg around edges using a spatula to let raw egg flow underneath, until frittata is set on bottom and egg is almost set but still moist on top, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Sprinkle salmon all over frittata, then press on salmon lightly and shake skillet to allow salmon to settle into top.
Broil frittata about 6 inches from heat until set, slightly puffed, and golden in patches, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes, then loosen edge with spatula and slide onto a large plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

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Creamy Leek and Potato Soup
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
1 baking potato (1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
5 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chervil or parsley sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
Add the potato and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
Add the cream and simmer for 10 minutes longer.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, then return it to the pan. Season the soup with salt and pepper, garnish with chervil and serve.

Serves 6.

Make ahead: The soup can be refrigerated overnight.

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YumSugar Gift Guide: The Global Gourmand Grandpa

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 13:00:12 -0800

Shopping for an epicurean grandpa who's more well-traveled than you? Fret not. If he's been tasting his way around the globe, chances are, he's open to eating anything.

If he's enjoyed traveling to Japan, present him with this matcha green tea set. Remind him of his trip to Scotland last year with Spey smoked salmon. Or send him an assortment of exotic imports: It's the closest you can get to giving him the world.

For more gift ideas, browse the selection below. Check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

Do You Like Caviar?

partysugar — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 07:01:19 -0800

Yummy Link: Mini-Potatoes with Wasabi-Cream & Caviar

YumSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 10:43:58 -0700

Who would have thought that little potatoes could look so glamorous? These delicious mini-potatoes are topped with wasabi-cream and caviar and I cannot wait to make these for a party someday. - Nami-Nami

Black-Eyed Pea "Caviar" Is a Deep-South Delicacy

YumSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:15:17 -0700

Don't let the name fool you: this "LA Caviar" is neither from Los Angeles nor made from caviar. Rather, the "LA" stands for "Lower Alabama," the coastal corner of Alabama that's home to Lulu's at Homeport Marina, a beachside restaurant owned by Jimmy Buffett's sister, Lucy Buffett. I borrowed this recipe from a Southern friend a few years back, and it's since become one of my favorite easy and healthy dips to whip up for parties.

Similar to a salsa, this chunky bean salad gets its tang from tomatoes and bell peppers, a touch of earthiness from the peas, and a delightful sweetness thanks to balsamic vinegar and sugar. To learn more and get the recipe, read more.

This dip is delicious on tortilla chips or crackers - I love to serve it with seeded flatbreads. It's a satisfying Summer dish, and since black-eyed peas are a good-luck food in the South, this makes a great New Year's Eve nibble, too.

Lulu's LA (Lower Alabama) Caviar
Lulu's at Homeport Marina via Atlanta Journal Constitution

Ingredients

3 (15-ounce) cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Salt and pepper

Directions

Combine black-eyed peas, onion, peppers, tomatoes, parsley, vinegar, oil and sugar
Season with salt and pepper.
Marinate for 12 to 24 hours before serving.
Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Serves 10.

Per serving: 203 calories, 8 grams protein, 27 grams carbohydrates, 6 grams fiber, 8 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 279 milligrams sodium.

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:00:13 -0700

Once again, we're rounding up the most delicious stories from our friends at Slashfood. Here's what they're chewing over this week.

Learn how to make simple and satisfying pierogies.
Solve the case of the disappearing server.
Next to this rich pecan milk, other nut milks pale in comparison.
Toast to Halloween with seasonal Pumking Imperial Ale.
Dive into a taste of sustainable caviar.
Shoney's restaurants want their memorabilia back for an upcoming exhibit.

Source: Flickr User the prodigal untitled13

Tips for Enjoying Caviar

partysugar — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:10:07 -0800

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Summer of Salads: Garden Salad

YumSugar — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:00:17 -0700

Although I hold appreciation for foie gras bon-bons and osetra caviar, haute cuisine isn't the only food I'll open my heart (and stomach) to: Since I've never been able to outgrow my love for Americana staples such as processed cheese and the McDonald's Egg McMuffin, I simply embrace them.

Another big-chain menu item I crave? The enormous bowl of garden salad that's a part of every visit to the Olive Garden. On the rare occasion that I find myself dining at the restaurant, there's something about the ultracrisp lettuce leaves, the mildly earthy black olives, and the pickled juice that squirts out of the pepperoncini that calls to my senses. So when I recently came across a test kitchen attempt to replicate the salad, I couldn't resist trying it at home. For a crunch-quenching side that's perfect for a 4th of July celebration, keep reading