Food Blog siciliano

What is red tuna bottarga?

Red tuna bottarga, in addition to being a traditional Sicilian delicacy, defined as the “Caviar of the Mediterranean” is nothing other than salted, pressed and dried red tuna eggs. Bottarga has an intense flavor reminiscent of the sea, therefore it is loved by those who love fish cuisine.

How it is produced

The sack containing the eggs is removed whole from inside the tuna, then put in salt to eliminate humidity. It is then pressed and hung to dry in the open air for several days. Until dry and hard blocks are obtained that are vacuum-packed before being put on sale.

Property

In addition to being a sought-after ingredient, red tuna bottarga is rich in properties. Among the most interesting are:

• the content of high-quality organic proteins.
• that of Omega 3 and other polyunsaturated fatty acids (which boast antioxidant power).

100 grams of tuna bottarga contain approximately 370 calories.

How to eat red tuna bottarga?

Red tuna bottarga is excellent when eaten raw. Avoid cooking it, at most heat it slightly even when it is included as an ingredient in the many recipes we are about to suggest. Cooking it would compromise its yield, it would be a real waste. It can be eaten sliced ​​or sprinkled on an incredible number of dishes as a condiment.

For example, it can be sprinkled on pasta, risotto or vegetarian side dishes. It can be grated with either a microplane or a mandolin. A secret to doing so when it is too soft is to put it in the freezer for about twenty minutes before doing so. To tone down its salty taste, you can sprinkle it with a few drops of lemon juice.

What can you do wih tuna bottarga??

Let's start from the assumption that bottarga is a wildcard food, very versatile in the kitchen like parmesan or soy sauce. Of course, it is more expensive than these, and therefore its use becomes even more parsimonious in the kitchen. Which makes it even more valuable.

You can sprinkle it on scrambled eggs, on a seafood risotto, on vegetable side dishes (such as steamed broccoli and cauliflower or on grilled courgettes). Of course, you can sprinkle it on spaghetti and pasta in general. You can also distribute it on bread seasoned with extra virgin olive oil or quality butter. Try it on a simple tomato salad, it will never have seemed so good.

Radobera, CC BY-SA 3.0, , via Wikimedia Commons