Ben came home
from surfing on the Atlantic coast with a lovely two-pound fish, a baila,
spotted sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). The fish vendor at the market had removed
the lobes of roe and bagged them separately. Ben cooked the whole fish with
potatoes panadera (that recipe is here) to which he added sliced zucchini, broccoli
florets, and, his special touch, slivers of chile. I contemplated the roe.
The roes (huevas)
from most saltwater fish and shellfish are edible. In Spain, the most common roe
consumed fresh are those from hake (merluza) and choco (cuttlefish). If roe is
loosened from its sac and processed with salt, it can be called “caviar” only
if it comes from sturgeon, according to the FAO (the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the UN). Other roes, from salmon, trout, lumpfish, ling cod, similarly processed, are “substitutes of
caviar.”
 |
| Roe is delicate, grainy. |
Use fresh fish roe
raw in sushi. It also can be poached and served cold with aliño, dressing, or floured
and fried.
The roe of this bass was very mild in taste and, in mouthfeel, was both delicate and grainy, with a slight crunch.
Here is the way roe is served in tapa bars in Cádiz and Málaga. The cooked roe can also be cut into smaller pieces and mixed with the tomato-pepper dressing.
 |
| Fish roe is poached, sliced and dressed with a chopped tomato-pepper aliño. |
Fish Roe with Chopped Dressing
Huevas de Pescado con Aliño
To prevent the membranes enclosing the roe from splitting during cooking, wrap the lobes in plastic wrap. Poach them in simmering water.
Serves 2 to 4.
 |
| Lobes of fish roe. |
Salt
¼ cup chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons chopped scallions
½ cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped green olives (optional)
1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + more for drizzling
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Shredded lettuce
Hard-boiled egg
Flaky salt
Combine the green and red peppers, scallions, tomatoes, and olives, if using. Add the vinegar, oil and salt and mix well.
Unwrap the packets of roe. Slice them crosswise about ½ inch thick. Add freshly chopped parsley to the pepper-tomato salad. Place shredded lettuce on a serving platter or 2 to 4 individual plates. Place sliced roe on the lettuce. Garnish with quartered egg. Sprinkle all with flaky salt and drizzle with additional oil.
Another recipe with fish roe: Squid Stuffed with Hake Roe, Sanlucar Style
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