fried roe with homemade tartar sauce

Roe is typically sold cured, as caviar, but if you’re lucky enough to befriend a fisherman or to fish yourself, you’ll be able to enjoy the unrivaled lusciousness of fresh roe in its skein. A skein of roe holds within its thin, slippery membrane thousands of tiny translucent spheres, little eggs bursting with the concentrated flavor of fish. I typically use salmon roe for this dish, though the roe of any fish will work well as long as it remains in its skein. Shad roe also does nicely.

SERVES: 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS:

BRINE

• 1½ pounds fish roe in its skeins
• 2 heaping tablespoons coarse unrefined sea salt
• 2 cups water

TARTAR SAUCE

• 1 cup Olive Oil Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons finely minced pickles, such as Spiced Sour Pickles with Garlic and Dill
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

TO FRY THE ROE

• 1 cup high-extraction wheat flour, rice flour, or unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons finely ground unrefined sea salt
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 cups clarified butter or lard
• 1 lemon, quartered

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. To brine the roe, place the skeins of roe in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the salt with the water and pour the brine over the roe to sweeten them and remove any residual bitterness. Put the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the roe to soak in the brine for at least 4 and up to 12 hours.
2. Drain off the brine and gently pat the roe dry.
3. To prepare the tartar sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, pickles, and dill. Cover and set in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
4. To fry the roe, in a shallow dish, whisk the flour with the salt, paprika, and lemon zest. Dredge the skeins of roe in the seasoned flour until well coated.
5. Heat the fat in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat to 375°F.
6. Gently place the roe in the pan, taking care to avoid fat splatters. Fry the roe for about 3 minutes per side until crisp and brown, then drain on a kitchen towel.
7. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve with lemon wedges and the tartar sauce