Shad Roe With Black Butter Caper Sauce Recipes

PAN-FRIED SHAD ROE WITH LEMON PARSLEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Carefully separate the lobes of the shad roe and season it with Maldon sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper on both sides. Set aside.
• Heat up a cast iron pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter and a swirl of olive oil. Make sure that the bottom of the pan is evenly coated.
• Add the chopped garlic and move it around in the pan with a wooden spatula until it turns golden.
• Gently lay the shad roe into the pan and let it brown for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. It should feel firm, like a medium cooked steak. Set on a plate.
• Lower the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pan with the chopped parsley until it has softened and mixed well with the garlic bits in the pan. Squeeze in the lemon juice to loosen it into a sauce. Add a little bit more butter or olive oil, if necessary. Taste and adjust the flavor.
• Spoon the sauce over the shad roe.

SHAD ROE POACHED IN BUTTER

Steps:

• Gently pull the sacs away from each other, and the membrane attaching them will come apart. Snip any pieces of membrane that do not break easily with kitchen scissors. Take care not to tear the sacs. Run them under cool water, and pat them dry.
• To know how much butter to poach the roe in, place the sacs in a straight-sided frying pan or saucepan just large enough to hold them in one layer. Add water to halfway up the sides of the sacs. Drain water off into a measuring cup. The level of water in the measuring cup is the level that the melted butter to cook the roe should reach. (In poaching pike or striped bass roe, the water should almost cover it. Both of those puff up in cooking, so they will need more butter.)
• Remove the roe from the pan, and wipe the pan dry. Place the melted butter in the pan over medium heat. When the butter is bubbling, carefully slip the roe into the pan in one layer. Return to a boil.
• Cook over medium heat for 1 minute to firm up the roe. Turn the heat to low (bubbles should be breaking the surface, but not vigorously). Cook for 2 minutes. Gently move each piece to assure that it does not stick. Continue to cook 4 minutes more (5 minutes more for the bass, 27 minutes more for the pike). Carefully flip each piece. Cook for 3 minutes, moving roe gently so that it does not stick. Continue to cook until the roe sacs have changed color and are opaque all the way through, 4 minutes for the shad, 5 minutes for the bass and 27 minutes for the pike. Move the pike occasionally to keep it from sticking.

SHAD AND SHAD ROE WITH LEMON SHALLOT BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the shad fillets in half crosswise. Season the fillets and roe with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in each of two nonstick skillets and add the fillets skin side down in one pan. In the other pan add the roe and cook both over medium heat for 3 minutes, shaking the pans. Then turn the fillets and roe and cook for 3 minutes more. (It is a good idea to cover the pan with the roe while cooking to prevent splattering.)
• Remove the fish with a slotted spatula to a warm serving plate or platter. Separate each pair of roe lengthwise. Place a half on top of each piece of shad.
• In one of the skillets, add the butter and shallots. Cook and stir until wilted.
• Add the lemon juice and the parsley. Cook briefly while stirring, and then pour the mixture over the fish and serve.

ERIC'S SAUTEED SHAD ROE WITH BACON-BUTTER SAUCE AND FRISEE

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Place bacon in a medium skillet, and cook over high heat until bacon is golden and just crisp. Remove 2 tablespoons bacon, and drain on a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Continue cooking the remaining bacon until very crisp but not blackened. Transfer to a fine sieve; discard bacon fat. Transfer crisp bacon to the jar of a blender.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Add butter, piece by piece, whisking constantly until incorporated. Add the chicken-stock mixture to the blender, and blend on high speed until bacon is pureed. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.
• Cook the shad roe: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a sharp knife, trim shad roe, and divide into 2 pieces, being careful not to tear the membrane. Pour flour into a shallow bowl, and season with salt and pepper; dust pieces lightly with the flour.
• In a medium nonstick ovenproof saute pan, heat grapeseed oil over medium heat. Add shad roe, and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn, and transfer the saute pan to the oven until roe is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from saute pan, and set aside while preparing salad.
• Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine vinegar, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Whisk to combine. Slowly add olive oil, whisking constantly, until combined. Add frisee and the reserved bacon; toss to combine.
• To serve: Slice the shad roe crosswise on the bias into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Divide among four plates. Spoon the bacon sauce over, and serve immediately with the frisee salad on the side.

RAIE AU BEURRE NOIR (SKATE WITH BLACK BUTTER SAUCE)

Steps:

• Arrange fish pieces in one layer, slightly overlapping, in a skillet or casserole. Add water to cover, the white vinegar, salt, bay leaf, peppercorns and thyme.
• Bring to a boil and let simmer over low heat about 2 minutes or less. Turn off heat and let stand until ready to serve. Do not let stand for more than a very few minutes. Transfer fish pieces to a layer of paper towels. Then transfer drained pieces of fish to a heated serving dish.
• To make sauce, heat a heavy skillet, preferably of black iron, almost to smoking. Add butter; when it melts and starts to darken, add capers. Cook, shaking skillet and stirring, about 1 minute, or until butter starts to blacken. Add red-wine vinegar and parsley, swirling it around, and pour sauce over fish.

SHAD ROE WITH FRIED CAPERS

Steps:

• Drain the capers and rinse them thoroughly to get rid of any salt. Dredge them in flour, shaking off excess. Heat enough oil to cover the capers (about an inch) and deep fry them in a small pan until they are golden and crisp. Keep them warm in a low oven.
• Rinse the shad roe and place them in the milk seasoned with salt and pepper. Remove them and dredge them lightly in the flour.
• Using a nonstick pan, heat the remaining peanut or vegetable oil and saute the roe until they are golden on both sides. Cover the pan and continue cooking for three to five minutes. The roe are done when they are firm to the touch.
• Place the roe on individual heated plates and sprinkle them with the capers and the parsley. Garnish each plate with a lemon quarter and serve.

SHAD ROE WITH MUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for a minute or two, then add the butter. When it melts, gently lay the shad roe in the pan and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the underside is lightly browned.
• Turn very gently-a large spatula is best for this-and season the cooked side. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, again until the underside is lightly browned. By this time the roe should be quite firm to the touch; if it is still soft, cover the pan and cook for another minute or two, then cut into it to check. When done, the center will be red and the area surrounding it pink.
• Transfer the roe to a warm plate. Add the mustard and 1/4 cup of water to the pan; stir. Raise the heat to high and stir the sauce with a wooden spoon until smooth and thick. Spoon over the roe, garnish if you like, and serve immediately.
• Shad Roe with Capers and Vinegar: In step 3, omit the mustard. Instead, stir in 2 tablespoons capers, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until blended and the liquid is reduced by about half. Spoon over the roe, garnish, and serve.
• Shad Roe with Bacon: Omit the butter. Begin by cooking 4 thick slices good-quality bacon over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is done; remove the bacon and keep warm. Cook the shad roe in the bacon fat, exactly as directed. Serve the shad roe and bacon with lemon wedges, garnished with fresh parsley.