Pan-Fried Wild Carp Roe

Wild carp roe sits in the fish as two sacs — roe sacs bound by a thin membrane. What you do with that membrane decides whether the dish comes out as a solid piece or as loose grains scattered across the pan.

The right answer is: don't remove it. The roe sac is cut together with its membrane into pieces three to four centimeters wide, and in hot oil the membrane tightens and holds the roe inside. Remove the membrane and the eggs scatter across the pan, with no way to gather them back.

It's fried over moderate heat and without a lid. The roe inside starts to simmer, and on high heat the piece begins to spit hot droplets; a lid traps that same steam inside, and instead of a crust you get steam.

The roe of one fish works at least three ways: wild carp roe baked in the oven with milk and egg turns into a soft casserole, while wild carp roe with egg in a pan is really an omelette for breakfast.

Caloric content: 195kcal

Notes

• Leave the membrane on. The source recipe says to "free it from the membranes" and then cut the roe into pieces in the same breath — one contradicts the other. The membrane is exactly what holds the piece together.
• Roe from carp-family fish is eaten only fried through. Wild carp, carp, bream, roach — these are carp-family fish, and in Ukrainian waters they can carry opisthorchiasis. Raw or lightly cured roe from them is a risk; fried through, it isn't.
• Remove the gallbladder whole. A crushed gallbladder makes all the roe bitter, and there's no washing that out afterward.
• Keep the heat moderate. On high heat the roe inside starts to boil and spit. Five to six minutes per side is enough.
• Doneness shows in the color. Orange turns into a grayish-yellow all the way through the cut. If the center is still bright, hold it for another two minutes.

Questions and Answers

How long to fry wild carp roe?

Five to six minutes per side over moderate heat for a piece three centimeters thick.

Should the membrane be removed from the roe?

No. It tightens on the pan and holds the piece together. Without it, the roe falls apart.

Can wild carp roe be cured raw?

No. Carp-family fish in Ukrainian waters can carry opisthorchiasis, and raw roe from them is dangerous. For raw curing, predatory fish is used, and even then only after freezing.

Why is the roe bitter?

Most often because of a gallbladder crushed during gutting. Bitterness can't be removed from the roe afterward, so the belly is cut with care.

Recipe and step-by-step photos — kolizhanka.net.ua.