Chances are good your New Year’s Eve menu includes a few of your favorite indulgences. A bottle of sparkling wine, a decadent chocolate dessert, a small tin of caviar.
Hmmm …. caviar.
Maybe you’re like chef Gerry Klaskala of Aria and can’t get enough. “I remember when another chef and I were doing a dinner and the host had bought way, way too much caviar for the party. The guests were having their entrée and we went out to clean up the reception area. There was still an ungodly amount of caviar left. We couldn’t help ourselves. We got out our spoons – any chef worth his salt should have a mother-of-pearl caviar spoon — and ate our fill.”
Or maybe you’re reluctant to even give it a try. Fish eggs, you think? Salty fish eggs?
There are a lot of options out there. Tiny jars and small tins of salmon roe, or the eggs of flying fish, trout or whitefish. But to be labeled “caviar,” the contents of that container must be salt-cured eggs from sturgeon.
The sturgeon is native to parts of Europe and Asia, and caviar from the Caspian Sea might be the world’s most famous. But sturgeon are also native to North America, and of the nine North American species, four are native to Georgia: Lake, Atlantic, Shortnose and Gulf. This leads UGA professor Douglas Peterson to say, “Georgia should be known as the ‘Sturgeon’ state rather than the ‘Peach’ state.”
Peterson is leading the university’s effort to grow sturgeon in an environmentally sustainable way. “Fifteen years ago, the caviar industry was 90 percent wild harvested. Now wild fish are the source of a very small percentage of the world’s caviar.”
The university started raising sturgeon in 2003. They’re farming Siberian sturgeon, which aren’t native to Georgia so the university must have a special permit to raise them. “This is a demo project just to show that you can grow sturgeon and produce caviar in a cost-effective way. A small commercial farm would produce one to two tons of caviar a year and we produce 100 pounds.”
Yes, the University of Georgia is producing caviar, although as Peterson says, in very small quantities.
“It’s a fun side project to our demo project on farming sturgeon. The whole process is expensive. To build a commercial facility would cost several million dollars and it takes the fish six or seven years before they grow old enough to begin producing caviar. That’s a long time to wait for a return on your investment.”
The caviar itself is simply sturgeon eggs, washed carefully and then salted. All UGA’s caviar is distributed through Inland Seafood, which sells it to shops and restaurants.
UGA’s caviar is popular on local menus and at local fish counters. Chef Craig Richards of St. Cecilia enjoys having it on his menu because guests are surprised to find high quality caviar produced so close to home. At Star Provisions they sell five to six varieties of caviar at any time, and chef and owner Anne Quatrano says the UGA caviar is their best selling caviar by far. “The eggs are delicate, glossy and rich. And the price is more than fair.” A 30-gram jar (just slightly over 1 ounce) is $75.
Bill Demmond says he’s been Inland Seafood’s “caviar guy” for over 30 years. “I love the stuff. I could open up an eight-ounce tin and just eat it with a spoon. Or I like it with a little bit of crème fraiche on a very plain cracker like a Carr’s table water, or white bread toast. Some people like it with onion or egg. But onion is too strong and egg is boring. And you accompany it with Champagne or good vodka, chilled.”
Inland carries a dozen premium caviars along with other types of fish roe. “Sturgeon caviar really is the best. It’s a combination of their diet and their metabolism. The caviar has a richer flavor. It makes a rich, wonderful, delicious bite. The eggs are just an explosion of flavor. The only reason the salt is added is to act as a preservative,” said Demmond.
He says the UGA caviar is one of the two best caviars Inland sells, but also notes with a laugh that it can be a hard sell outside Georgia because of that UGA logo on the label.
Aria’s Klaskala says caviar is one of the few things you really don’t need a recipe for. “It’s sublime. When it’s perfectly fresh and perfectly salted, it’s like the ocean. Yes, it’s an indulgence, but it’s a very special thing. Buy the best you can.”
Star Provision’s Quatrano agrees. “I believe my first experience with caviar was at Petrossian in Manhattan in the late 1980s. It was one of the splurge meals we saved for, one a month. And my favorite way to eat caviar is off the spoon. It needs nothing else.”
“If you’ve never had the pleasure of just eating caviar out of the tin, you need to,” says chef Gerry Klaskala. But go ahead. Chefs Klaskala, Quatrano and Richards give you permission to gild the lily (and stretch your budget). Serve your caviar with other luxurious bites from the sea such as fresh scallops, smoked trout or oysters.
Aria’s Smoked Mountain Trout with UGA Caviar, Endive and Creme Fraiche Vinaigrette
Aria’s chef and owner Gerry Klaskala turns 30 grams of caviar into a delicious plating for four.
The creme fraiche vinaigrette is a step up from the traditional combination of sour cream and caviar. You can find online recipes for making creme fraiche, or small tubs are available in the dairy section of most grocery stores. Fresh horseradish root may be available at your local farmers market but will be available in the produce section of some grocery stores.
1/4 cup creme fraiche
2 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups frisee
1 cup skinned and flaked smoked mountain trout
2 tablespoon minced chives
1 tablespoon dill sprigs
2 radishes, thinly sliced
30 grams UGA sturgeon caviar
In a small bowl, whisk together creme fraiche, horseradish, shallot, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine frisee, smoked trout, chives, dill and radishes. Lightly dress with vinaigrette. Season to taste. Divide salad between serving plates. Drizzle the remaining dressing on the plates and divide the caviar between the servings. Serve immediately. Serves: 4
Per serving: 159 calories (percent of calories from fat, 53), 15 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 10 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 89 milligrams cholesterol, 296 milligrams sodium.
St. Cecilia’s Kitchen Scallop Crudo with UGA Caviar
This dish marries the sweetness of fresh scallops with the brininess of the caviar and accents it with the tang of blood orange, the herbal punch of fennel and crunch of rye croutons.
St. Cecilia’s executive chef Craig Richards notes that crudos need the freshest seafood possible. “Crudo can be difficult to pull off at home, but with a sharp knife and diligence in finding super fresh fish, it’s not impossible. The scallops should have a slightly briny scent and be shiny in appearance. If you can’t find really fresh scallops, look for a meaty fish as a substitute, one that’s shiny and bright in appearance, not opaque or dry looking. When cutting the fish or scallops, a long sharp knife works best. Use an even, smooth one-stroke action and cut it right before serving.”
Richards suggests you arrange the crudo on the plate so guests get a taste of each ingredient with every bite.
1 fennel top, sliced thin
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 fresh scallops
1 blood orange, peeled and segmented, juice reserved
3 tablespoons creme fraiche
30 grams UGA caviar
Crunchy sea salt, like Maldon, for garnish
Rye croutons, for garnish
In a small bowl, toss fennel top with olive oil and cover. Let sit overnight.
When ready to serve, slice scallops into 1/4-inch thick slices and divide between four cold plates. Arrange four orange segments around the plate and spoon 1/2 teaspoon blood orange juice around the plate. Add two small dollops of creme fraiche to each plate. Divide fennel tops and the oil between the plates, making sure the scallop slices receive a generous amount of olive oil. Divide the caviar between the plates. Crumble a few croutons and sprinkle over each plate. Finish the plates with a little sea salt, remembering that the caviar has a natural salinity. Serve immediately. Serves: 4
Per serving: 136 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 7 grams protein, 10 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 8 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 61 milligrams cholesterol, 170 milligrams sodium.
Rye Croutons
Leftover rye croutons will be delicious on your next salad or crumbled on top of a baked gratin.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small clove garlic, smashed
1 small sprig thyme
2 slices artisan rye bread (about 3 ounces)
Salt
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add butter, garlic and thyme. Heat until butter foams and garlic turns a light golden color. While garlic is cooking, tear rye bread into 1/2-inch pieces. Add pieces to the butter and season with salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, until bread absorbs most of the butter, gets crisp and is crunchy all the way through. Drain and set aside. Makes: 2 cups
Per 1-tablespoon serving: 14 calories (percent of calories from fat, 54), trace protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace fiber, 1 gram fat (trace saturated fat), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 18 milligrams sodium.
Anne Quatrano’s Kumamoto Oysters with Caviar and Champagne Gelee
This recipe from Quatrano’s cookbook, “Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality” (Rizzoli, $39.95) sounds and tastes impressive and is impressively simple to prepare. Quatrano says, “Oysters, caviar and champagne would top almost anyone’s list of aphrodisiacs. Here, we showcase them all in one luxurious bite.” She likes Kumamoto oysters from Washington State for this dish because they have a deep fluted cup and a sweet, creamy flavor. Talk with your oyster monger about the oysters available to you that have a similar flavor profile. Quatrano likes garnishing the dish with micro sorrel for the lemony flavor it brings to the combination. You could use very thinly sliced fresh sorrel instead or even a tiny sprinkle of lemon zest.
1 cup dry champagne, divided
1 (1/4 ounce) envelope powdered gelatin
12 oysters
Crushed ice or coarse sea salt, to serve the oysters on
1 (1-ounce) jar UGA caviar
Micro sorrel, for garnish (see note above)
Line a shallow 4-inch container such as a storage container or small cake pan with plastic wrap.
Make gelee: In a small saucepan over low heat, warm 1/2 cup champagne. Sprinkle gelatin over warm champagne and stir to dissolve. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in remaining 1/2 cup champagne. Pour gelatin mixture into prepared container and refrigerate, uncovered, until it has gelled. Unmold and cut into whatever shape you desire, or break it up with a fork to resemble granita. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
To shuck oysters, place on a flat and sturdy surface, using a kitchen towel to keep the oyster stable and keeping the deep, cupped side down. Gently push the tip of an oyster knife into the hinged portion on the pointed end of the shell. Once the knife is firmly in place, leverage or lift the top shell until you hear or feel a pop. Slowly move the oyster knife around the top of the shell to release. Run the oyster knife under the bottom of the meat of the oyster to release it from the muscle holding it to the bottom shell, keeping the oyster level to reserve as much of the liquor as possible. Leave the oyster in the bottom shell and check for any bits of shell that might have broken loose. Arrange oysters on a bed of crushed ice or coarse sea salt and garnish each with caviar, Champagne gelee and micro sorrel. Serve immediately. Serves: 2
Per serving: 184 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 7 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 4 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 111 milligrams cholesterol, 278 milligrams sodium.
- Adapted from a recipe in “Summerland: Recipes for Celebrating with Southern Hospitality” by Anne Quatrano (Rizzoli, $39.95).
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