The Sicilian Blog

What is bluefin tuna bottarga?

Red tuna bottarga, in addition to being one   traditional Sicilian delicacy, defined as the "Mediterranean Caviar" is none other than the   bluefin tuna eggs   salted, pressed and dried. The bottarga has a   taste   intense, reminiscent of the sea, therefore it is loved by those who love fish cuisine.

How it is produced

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

Property

As well as being a sought-after ingredient, the   red tuna bottarga   it is rich in   property . Among the most interesting we mention:

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

100 grams of tuna bottarga contain approximately   370 calories .

How do you eat red tuna bottarga?

Red tuna bottarga is excellent to eat   raw . Avoid cooking it, at most heat it just barely even when it is included as an ingredient in the numerous recipes we are about to suggest. Cooking would compromise the yield, it would be a real waste. You can eat it cut into slices or sprinkled on an incredible number of dishes as a condiment.

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

What can you do with tuna bottarga?

Let's start from the assumption that bottarga is a wild card food, quite versatile in the kitchen like parmesan or soy sauce. Naturally it is more expensive than these, and therefore its use also becomes more economical in the kitchen. Which makes it even more valuable.

You can spread 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 cheese   pasta   generally. You can still spread it on bread seasoned with extra virgin olive oil or quality butter. Try it on a simple tomato salad, it will never have tasted so good.

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