Iranian Caviar Recipes

KHAVIAR (IRANIAN CAVIAR)

Steps:

• Iranian caviar from the Caspian sea is the best available.
• Peel and chop onion very finely.
• Wash and chop parsley very finely.
• Add caviar to onion and parsley and mix well.
• If using unsalted crackers, a bit of salt can be added to the mix.
• If desired, place a bit of butter on each cracker, and serve with the mix.

BAKLAZHANNAIA IKRA (POOR MAN'S CAVIAR)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the eggplant on a baking sheet in the center of the oven, turning it over once or twice, until it is soft and its skin is charred and blistered, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook the onions in 4 tablespoons oil over medium heat until they are soft but not brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the green pepper and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes longer. With a rubber spatula, scrape the contents of the skillet into a mixing bowl.
• Remove the skin from the baked eggplant with a small, sharp knife, then chop the eggplant pulp finely, almost to a pure. Add it to the mixing bowl and stir in the tomatoes, sugar, salt and a few grindings of black pepper. Mix together thoroughly. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over moderate heat and pour in the eggplant mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then turn the heat to low, cover the skillet, and simmer for 1 hour.
• Uncover and cook 30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until all the moisture in the pan has evaporated and the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape in a spoon. Stir in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and taste for seasoning, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Transfer the “caviar" to a mixing bowl and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until ready to serve. Serve on squares of bread or on sesame-seed crackers.

THE RIPPER'S PASTA WITH UNI AND CAVIAR

Steps:

• Separate out 4 of the best-looking pieces of sea urchin roe to be used as garnish, and place the rest of the roe in the pitcher of a blender or bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Purée the sea urchin on medium speed for 1 minute, and pass it through a fine sieve, into a bowl. Return the purée to the blender or food processor, using a spatula to make sure you don't leave any of it behind. Add the butter to the blender or food processor and purée until the mixture is smooth.
• Bring a medium pot of heavily-salted water to a boil. While the water heats, get set up to finish the dish and plate it: Put 2 tablespoons of water into a small, heavy bottomed pot. Have your sea urchin butter, salt, pepper and a whisk close at hand. Place the chives in a mixing bowl large enough to comfortably hold all of the spaghetti (you'll be tossing the spaghetti and sauce in this bowl).
• Once the water is boiling, add the spaghetti and cook it until just al dente.
• While the spaghetti is cooking, finish the sea urchin sauce. Bring the 2 tablespoons water to boil in the small pot-this will happen very quickly-then gently whisk in the sea urchin butter. Taste the mixture and season it with salt and Esplette pepper. If the spaghetti is still cooking, cover the sauce to keep it warm.
• Once the spaghetti is done, drain it. Add the warm sea urchin sauce and the cheese to the bowl with the chives; mix gently and season with salt and white pepper to taste, then, using tongs, gently toss the pasta into the sauce, making sure it is evenly coated.
• Divide the pasta into four serving bowls. Drizzle a tablespoon of the extra sauce from the pasta around each mound. Squeeze lemon juice over each serving, and place one reserved lobe of sea urchin roe and 1 1/2 teaspoons of caviar on top of each mound of pasta. Serve immediately.