Roe and Roe Gastronomy

Roe are the eggs from fish, crustaceans and mollusks. The eggs contain the germ for the next generation along with a plethora of nutrients. Roe are also food for other animals in and by the sea as well as for humans. From simple cod roe, over lush lumpfish roe, to exclusive caviar, we consume roe both as a standard commodity, a seasonal specialty and a gastronomic delicacy. Roe is found with a range of egg sizes, colors, textures and flavors and thereby can find their way to our plates in a wide range of dishes.

Roe: Much More Than Caviar provides a popular description of what roe and eggs are, and how we can use them in our kitchen in a sustainable way with respect for nature and with a focus on taste and texture, not least in a green cuisine. Roe is rich in both healthy nutrients and delicious umami taste in addition to providing both crunchy and creamy textures. Roe can therefore be used as a food and as a condiment in many dishes. Roe can be caviar, but roe is much more than roe from sturgeon. The book highlights roe from other species such as flat fish, codfish, mullet, smelt, salmon and herring as well as crab, shrimp, octopus and snails. It also deals with caviar substitutes made from fish meat and seaweeds.

The book illustrates the many uses of the different kinds of roe by presenting many both traditional and novel recipes on the preparation of roe and dishes with roe. This is the joint work of a gastrophysicist and a chef who together have ventured into the kitchen to learn about the wonders of roe by experimenting, tasting and cooking with roe. The driving force for the collaboration has been curiosity and an interest in combining scientific insight with craft and culinary innovation and conveying the lessons thereof to a broader audience.