The market · Fish and seafood · Southern Europe, East Asia

Bottarga

The roe sac of grey mullet or tuna, salted, pressed and dried into an amber, waxy bar. Grated over pasta or sliced thin, it tastes of the sea, concentrated.

briny · waxy · rich · amber

What to do with it

Kenji Hara's Sourdough, 100% ryeBottarga would give it depth Ibu Sari's Beef rendangBottarga would give it depth Ana Etxarri's ChawanmushiBottarga would season it Rosa Ibarra's Clarified milk punch, mezcal and pineappleBottarga would soften its edge

Kinds

Mullet (muggine): Sardinian; amber and delicate — the one to start with.
Tuna (tonno): Sicilian; darker, saltier and stronger.
Karasumi: Japan's mullet roe, softer and served sliced.

If you can't find it

Italian delis, vacuum-packed.

No real swap

No swap. A little anchovy and lemon zest gives salt and sea, not the waxy richness.

Goes with

spaghettilemon olive oil celery

Knowing it

Where to buy: Italian delis, as whole lobes, vacuum-packed. Look for an even amber and some give; dark, dry or cracked bottarga is old. Ready-grated jars are a poor second.
Worth knowing: Peel off the membrane, then grate or slice it over the dish at the end. Heat turns it bitter and fishy.

More fish and seafood

Fish and seafoodAnchoviessalty, savoury, brinysavouryrichsalty1 classic Fish and seafoodCrabssweet, briny, delicate3 classics Fish and seafoodCuttlefishsweet, dense, brinyNot cooked here yet Fish and seafoodDried anchoviessalty, savoury, crispsavouryrichsalty2 classics