Ingredient Spotlight - Shad Roe

No, I didn't get sucked up into the heavens during the rapture, I fell ill and I've been busy playing catch-up at work. My apologies for neglecting the site.  Anyway, let me back up - a little over a week ago, I excitedly posted on Facebook and Twitter that I would be picking up my order of shad roe from Mercato del Mare. Foodies everywhere know how exciting it is to be able to get their mitts on fresh shad roe - after all, it is highly perishable and has a limited season - so you can imagine my excitement when I got my "Today's Catch" newsletter and saw shad roe on the list. Not surprisingly, the ladies at Mercato recommended that orders be placed in advance.

What is shad roe? For those of you who aren't food nerds like me and didn't spend your adolescence leafing through your mom's 1970's printing of James Beard's New Fish Cookery, I'll give you the biologist's answer - shad roe is the egg sac of the female shad, an ocean fish related to herring. A cook, however, would tell you that shad roe is a prized delicacy. Knowing this, I called Mercato to place my order immediately, for I feared that all the other gastro-geeks would beat me to it. I picked up my order after work and rushed home so I could get started on making a mess of my kitchen. I developed a great original recipe, but before I got around to posting it I contracted Ebola or Rift Valley Fever or something else equally horrific (OK, it was just a sinus infection, but it still sucked).



Lobe of uncooked shad roe.

Uncooked shad roe resembles a chicken liver in the way that it comes in a pair, attached by a thin membrane. The sight of the roe caused my brain to drift back to my childhood. My dad loved going fishing, and I vividly remember him bringing his catch down to his work station in our basement where I'd watch him clean the fish (most often trout). He always threw the egg sacs to Snoopy, the most curious of our three cats. (Side note: If Snoopy had lived through the 90's, I most definitely would have nicknamed him "Snoop Catt.") Looking back, the chef in me can't believe that we threw away such a delicious part of the fish. However, the alarmist in me can't believe we thought it was OK to eat anything that came out of Lake Erie, which was once declared dead. It still shocks me that my Pops never reeled in anything resembling the radioactive man-worm featured in the all-time creepiest episode of "The X Files." But radioactivity/heavy metal toxicity aside, I can't help but wonder what sort of culinary magic could have been conjured up if we'd held on to that roe.



So what does shad roe taste like? It tastes like a combination of very mild liver laced with mild whitefish. It has a delicate texture that could easily be overpowered if you overseason it, so don't go crazy with the accoutrements, just let its flavor shine. While it's traditional to cook it simply in bacon fat or butter, try my twist - Shad Roe Saltimbocca!

　

Shad Roe Saltimbocca

1 T. bacon fat

2 T. butter, divided in half

several fresh sage leaves, minced

2 pairs shad roe

4 slices prosciutto

splash dry white wine

lemon wedges, to serve



Prepare the shad roe by dividing the pairs into individual lobes, being careful not to tear the membrane. Using a pin or the tip of a very sharp knife, poke several microscopic holes in each lobe of roe - this will prevent them from bursting.

Preheat your broiler. In the meantime, melt the bacon fat and 1 T. of the butter. Pour this into a casserole dish to coat the bottom. (Hint: You'll want to use a casserole dish that just barely fits the roe - you don't want much space between each lobe of roe or between the roe and the sides of the dish.)



Sprinkle the minced sage into the greased casserole dish, then add the shad roe. Divide the remaining butter into 4 pats and place one on top of each lobe of shad roe, then top each lobe with a slide of prosciutto. Pour a quick splash of dry white wine into the dish, shake the dish to distribute the wine, then throw the dish under the broiler for 5-7 minutes or until the proscuitto is crisp and the roe has firmed up and lost its pink color.

Serve with lemon wedges - a quick squirt of lemon juice really perks up the flavor!



OMG!!! I Baked a Cake!!!

Holy $#!t.  Last night, before having my heart broken by the Detroit Red Wings, I baked a cake.  Not only did I bake a cake, I baked a cake without a recipe and without firemen showing up.  Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.  Do you see that weather report?!?!? 

The first time I baked a cake, I was 19 years old and a freshman in college.  Broke as a joke, I couldn't afford to buy my mom anything nice for her birthday, so I decided that a homemade treat would be the best way to show her how much I care.  I whipped out her copy of "The Joy of Cooking," sifted through the recipes, and found one for which I had all the ingredients. 

I stirred, mixed, preheated, and did everything I was supposed to do.  I was going to make the best damn cake my mom ever tasted!  ...or so I thought.  The two layers didn't pop out of the pans like they were supposed to; half the cake stuck to the pan, leaving me with two concave half-cakes and a handful of crumbs.  Not to worry - frosting hides all sins.  Using crumbs like mosaic tiles and my homemade frosting as my grout, and I spackled and painted until the cake looked like it belonged on the cover of Martha Stewart magazine.  Then, using tubes of colored icing, I wrote the words "Happy Birthday, Mom!" in gorgeous edible calligraphy.  "I ROCK!" I thought to myself while I waited for her to get home from work. 

When my mom came home, she was certainly surprised - after all, at that point in life I had never used an oven unsupervised.  But the real surprise came when she took her first bite.  Anxious with enthusiastic anticipation, I watched her put the first forkful into her mouth.  Did she like it?

"Well honey, it's the thought that counts!"

What?!?  I didn't know whether to scream, laugh, or cry!  I tasted the cake to see how my beautiful creation could have been anything less than breathtaking.

UGH!  THE FROSTING TASTED LIKE SUGARY OCEAN WATER!  Yup, I must have somehow misread the recipe, because it tasted like I'd added about 1/4 cup of salt.  Calling it heinous would have been the understatement of the century, but my mom was right - it was the thought that counted, and to this day, we still laugh about my hilarious foray into the world of baking, and the gift of laughter was better than anything I could have purchased.      



Funny as the salt cake incident may be, I haven't exactly had much confidence in my baking abilities since.  I can do focaccia, and I've baked a few batches of cookies and dog biscuits, but cake?  Nah.  Besides, I'm not really a dessert person.  So what inspired me to bake a cake last night?

I have no idea.  Just a craving, I guess.  I wanted a light cheesecake that I could top with cooked, buttered apples. 

The Italians are pros at baking light, fluffy cheesecake-like dessert using ricotta instead of cream cheese.  In fact, I made one of these before.  It was supposed to have an almond crust, but since my crust stuck to my counter and the empty wine bottle I was using as a rolling pin, it ended up being more pudding than pie.  The filling turned out fine and tasted delicious, but crust?  Never again.  I avoid recipes that require me to bake a crust.  However, I hypothesized that I could cheat my way through crust by lining the bottom of a pie pan with crumbled cookies, pouring in the filling, and then topping it with more crumbled cookie crumbs. 

Grating nutmeg.

Turns out I was right!  I tested my hypothesis and ended up with a splendid cake, which I then topped with apples that I'd cooked briefly in nutmeg brown butter laced with a bit of sherry.  I've gotta bake this one for my mom - sure, it's the thought that counts, but it's the flavor that makes you want to go back for seconds!

Please note that there is no sugar in this recipe.  Feel free to add 1/4 c. sugar to the filling if you prefer a sweet cake.  Also, you can use ground nutmeg if you don't want to grate your own, but ground nutmeg is the culinary equivalent of Van Halen with Sammy Hagar instead of David Lee Roth - it just doesn't compare! 

Ricotta Cheesecake

12 Stella D'oro Margherites (or similar cookie)

15 oz. ricotta, liquid drained off

2 eggs

1/4 c. whipping cream

1 t. freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 375.  In the meantime, use your hands to crumble 6 of the Stella D'oros, and use the crumbs to line a 9-inch cake pan with removable sides. 

Next, combine the ricotta, eggs, whipping cream, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.  Again, use your hands and crumble two of the Stella D'oros into the bowl.  Using an electric beater, beat the ingredients for about 2-3 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. 

Pour the ricotta mix into the cake pan.  Using a spatula, smooth the filling on top.  Now, crumble the remaining cookies and spread the crumbs evenly over the filling.  Place in the middle rack of your oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is set.  Let cool for at least 30 minutes, then serve with Apples in Nutmeg Brown Butter.

Apples in Nutmeg Brown Butter

2 Golden Delicious apples, finely diced

1/2 stick butter

1 t. freshly grated nutmeg

2 T. sherry



Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-low heat.  Cook until the butter begins to froth and give off a rich fragrance.  Now, add the nutmeg and stir to incorporate. 

Add the apples to the pan, increase the heat to medium, and stir for about 2-3 minutes until all the apples are coated with the nutmeg butter.  Add the sherry.  Continue to cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 more minutes, or until the apples have softened a bit. 

Use as a topping for ricotta cheesecake.  This would also make a good condiment to serve alongside slices of roasted pork tenderloin. 

Pasta BolognEASY

These days, I haven't done much cooking.  Due to the fact that both the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings advanced to the Stanely Cup semifinals, my time has been otherwise occupied, and due to the fact that so many of these games have been decided in OT, I've spent most non-game days being too tired to do much of anything.  Oh, the joys of being a sports fan! 

Last night, I swore I was going to pick up groceries and create an amazing dinner, but on the subway ride home, I realized that nothing sounded good.  I also realized that I was nodding off.  I needed to cook something requiring no more than 5 minutes of active prep time.  A very dim lightbulb began to flash above my brain, and I created the following recipe using ingredients that I already had in my pantry and in my freezer!

A true bolognese sauce should simmer on the stove for hours, but my BolognEASY sauce only takes about ten minutes.  Canned tomatoes and frozen meatballs perked up with a few herbs and spices may draw the ire of many an Italian granny, but to a tired cook, this recipe is a blessing.  Try it yourself! 

Pasta BolognEASY

1 16-oz box dried pasta
12 oz. frozen seasoned meatballs, thawed *
splash olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
small splash of wine (less than 1/4 cup)
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
grated pecorino, to serve


Cook the pasta.  In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Add the garlic and shallot.  Cook for a minute or two, stirring, until they are slightly softened.  Now, add the meatballs and the wine.  Using a potato masher, squish the meatballs until they fall completely apart. 

Now, add all remaining ingredients and mix well.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then cover and reduce to simmer.  Cook the sauce for 15-20 minutes (about the same time it takes for the water to boil and the pasta to cook).  Serve with grated pecorino. 


* I used my own frozen meatballs (click here for recipe), but many stores carry brands of frozen meatballs in their grocery section, and some meat counters sell pre-made meatballs.  If you are going to use store-bought meatballs, just make sure to buy a brand with more meat than filler ingredients, Italian-style seasoning, and little or no chemicals/additives.