CAVIAR RECIPES

Caviar Eggs

Ingredients:

•6 hard-cooked eggs
•6 tablespoons of salmon caviar
•1 tablespoon of chopped chives or green onions
•1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
•1 tablespoon of mayonnaise or sour cream
•1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Shell the eggs, cut them in halves, and remove the yolks. Mash these well and combine with the remaining ingredients. When it is thoroughly whipped together, heap it into the whites with a spoon, or pipe it in, using the rosette end of a pastry tube.

For a first course, serve 2 halves per person. Arrange them on greens and pass a Russian dressing. Or double the recipe and serve it as a salad course with watercress, Russian dressing, and crisp French bread.

Yield: 6 servings

Red Potatoes with Caviar and Cheese

Ingredients:

•12 new red potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed
•3 tablespoons of Neufchatel cheese
•1 tablespoon of low-fat (1 percent) buttermilk
•1 teaspoon of chopped dill
•1 tablespoon of salmon caviar

Instructions:

Place the potatoes in a single layer in a shallow microwavable container; cook on high until fork-tender, about 3 minutes. Alternately, bake the potatoes at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cut the potatoes in half; place, cut-side down, on a platter. With a spoon or a melon baller, make a small well in the top of each potato.

In a small bowl, mix the cheese and buttermilk until smooth; with a rubber spatula, fold in the dill and caviar. Dollop about 3/4 teaspoon of the mixture into the well of each potato.

Yield: 12 servings

Caviar Pie

Ingredients:

•1 large white onion, minced
•6 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
•3 Tbsp of mayonnaise
•1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
•2 to 3 cups of sour cream
•1 (4-ounce) jar salmon caviar
•Chives
•Parsley
•Melba toast

Instructions:

Drain the chopped onion on paper towels. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan. In a bowl combine the eggs and mayonnaise and spread in the bottom of pan in an even layer. Sprinkle with onion. Beat together until smooth the cream cheese and sour cream. Drop by spoonfuls onto onion. With wet table knife spread gently to smooth. Cover and chill 3 hours or overnight. Just before serving, open a jar of caviar and distribute over cream cheese (form a pattern, if you wish). Run knife around sides of pan to loosen form. Garnish top with chives and parsley. Surround base with parsley sprigs. Serve with Melba toast.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Green Salad with Caviar and Smoked Salmon

Ingredients:

•1/4 cup of chilled whipping cream
•3 tablespoons of chopped fresh chives or green onion tops
•1½ teaspoons of prepared white horseradish
•2 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons of salmon caviar
•4 6x5-inch thin slices smoked salmon (about 6 ounces)
•5 cups (packed) mixed baby greens
•3½ tablespoons olive oil
•1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions:

Beat cream, 1 tablespoon chives and horseradish in medium bowl to stiff peaks. Fold in 2 tablespoons of salmon caviar. Season to taste with pepper. Place salmon slices on work surface. Spread 2 tablespoons caviar mixture down center of each, leaving 1/2-inch border on short sides. Fold short sides in, then roll up smoked salmon, starting at 1 long side. Place seam side down on plate. Wrap salmon bundles in plastic and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.

Place greens and remaining 2 tablespoons chives in large bowl. Whisk oil and lime juice in small bowl to blend. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over greens and toss to coat. Divide salad among 4 plates. Top each with salmon bundle. Top with remaining 4 teaspoons caviar and serve.

Yield: 4 servings


Linguine with Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Brandy-Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

•Double cream - about 1/4 cup per person
•Linguine - use a small bundle per person
•Smoked salmon - 1 slice per person
•Salmon caviar - 1 teaspoon per person
•Shallots - 1/2 per person, very finely chopped
•Garlic - 1/2 per person, very finely chopped
•Brandy - 1 shot (roughly 25 mls) per person
•Parmesan cheese - 1-2 tablespoons per person
•Salt and pepper - just a pinch of each, to taste
•Olive oil - about a teaspoon per person

Optional Ingredients:

Chives - 1 teaspoon per person, finely chopped, as garnish

Instructions:

Chop salmon into chunks about postage stamp-sized
Prepare the shallots, garlic, and chives and set them aside
Cook the linguine - follow the instructions on the packet. When cooked, drain it and set it aside.
Put a frying pan on a medium heat and add the olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Sauté for about 2-3 minutes, till they are soft, but be careful not to burn them.
Add the brandy - for a flourish, you can flambé the shallots and garlic.
Add the cream and the salmon, plus the capers if using them - reduce the mixture till thick enough to stick to the stirring spoon but runny enough to fall off the spoon
Add salt and pepper to taste
In a warmed mixing bowl, combine the linguine with the cream sauce, the salmon caviar, and the parmesan cheese - toss well, and serve onto plates, then garnish with the chives.

Yield: N/A

Crepes with Caviar

Ingredients:

Crepe batter:
•2 eggs
•1 cup flour
•2 cups milk
•1 teaspoon cornstarch
•1 tablespoon oil

Filling:

•Salmon caviar


Instructions:

Mix the ingredients for the crepe batter. Heat a pan. When hot add a small click of butter, let melt until almost golden brown. When fully melted and spread add 2-3 tablespoons of batter (the first 2-3 crepes will be the testers. The amount of batter added depends on how thick you want the crepe as well as the size of the pan). When the crepes are done top them with salmon caviar, sprinkle with chives, roll and serve.

Caviar Kisses

Ingredients:

•1 small cucumber, scrubbed and-trimmed
•1/3 cup of sour cream
•1 teaspoon of Dried dill weed
•Freshly ground black pepper-to taste
•1 jar of salmon caviar
•Fresh dill sprigs
•8 Thin slices of whole-wheat-bread
•Butter or margarine


Instructions:

Slice cucumber into 1/4-inch rounds. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, dried dill and pepper. Place one teaspoon of the sour cream mixture on each cucumber slice. Garnish each with about 1/2 teaspoon caviar and a dill sprig.

Cut bread slices with heart-shaped cookie cutter. Toast and butter.
Place cucumber slices in center of serving plate and surround with toast hearts.

Caviar Appetizers

Ingredients:

•10 very thin slices of firm white sandwich bread
•2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
•1/2 cup sour cream
•100 g (3 1/2 oz) of salmon caviar

Special equipment: a 2-inch crescent-moon cookie cutter

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush bread with melted butter and cut out 40 moons. Arrange, buttered sides up, on a large baking sheet and bake in middle of oven until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Serve toasts topped with sour cream and caviar.

Other Suggestions

• Carve out cooked baby red potatoes with a melon baller, fill with sour cream and top with caviar.

• Toss a bowl of angel hair pasta with freme fraiche and caviar.

• Toss sliced cooked potatoes with mayonnaise, and fold in caviar just before serving.

• Stir caviar into softened butter and serve on top of grilled or poached fish.

• Use caviar as a "frosting" for a whole soft creamy cheese such as St. Andre or brie.

• Sprinkle caviar onto the top of deviled eggs or fold it into egg salad.

• Sprinkle caviar on top of freshly ground beef tartare.

• Top potato pancakes with sour cream and caviar.

• Mix caviar with cream cheese and use it as a stuffing for celery sticks or artichoke hearts.

• Cut toasts into shapes (hearts, diamonds, ovals) with a cookie cutter or by hand.

• For breakfast, serve toasted bagels or English muffins with layers of cream cheese, smoked salmon, and caviar.

• Top broiled oysters or clams with caviar before serving.

• Use caviar to garnish cold soups such as cream of potato or borscht.

• Top open-faced sandwiches such as cucumber or tomato with caviar.