Casa Rinaldi Minced Mullet Roe Bottarga

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

This minced mullet roe bottarga from Casa Rinaldi has a golden brown color. A traditional Italian delicacy, it has a strong, pungent, fishy smell. It tastes equally strongly of fish, but has a great balance of flavor, with a subtle saltiness.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

This is ready to use, ideal to flavor anything. It’s great on eggs—whether on hard boiled eggs, or on soft scrambled eggs on toast. You can make a pasta con la bottarga, or mix your bottarga in fried rice or mashed potatoes. It can also be used in place of salt to flavor dishes. Really, you can use the Casa Rinaldi bottarga for anything!

AN ANCIENT RECIPE

Bottarga is the salted, cured roe of fish, usually grey mullet. It’s massaged to expel the air pockets, and then pressed and dried. It can be sold as a block, and sliced thinly, or ground up and put in a jar.

This is a delicacy that has been around for eons, as salting and curing are preservation methods dating back centuries. Said to have been originated by the Phoenicians, it was first documented in Egypt in 10th century BCE. Its name, “bottarga,” is Italian, and was taken from “butarkah,” an Arabic word.

Storage Instructions

Keep your bottarga in an area that is cool and dry, like a cupboard or the pantry. Once opened, keep it tightly sealed and refrigerated. Consume within 1 year.