Over the past few years, it has become a good tradition for me to take a more intensive culinary look at the products of my friends and customers from Imperial Caviar in the time leading up to the holidays. This year, I focused particularly on the Imperial Beluga caviar.
What you need to know about Beluga caviar
Beluga caviar comes from the European “Huso Huso” and is one of the most precious delicacies in the world. Depending on the quality and market situation, the price per kilo may well be above four thousand euros. In principle, a product that literally cries out to be tasted pure. Imperial Fine Beluga is characterized by its plump, light gray to anthracite roe, which has a diameter of at least 3.3 mm. Beluga caviar has the largest grain of all caviar varieties. The delicate skin gives it its characteristic creamy flavor.
So the challenge is to design a dish that accentuates the Beluga caviar, giving it a stage on which to shine, so to speak, and not overpowering it in any way. For my interpretation, I have worked with appropriate restraint. By the way, temperature also plays a role: due to the thin, delicate membrane of the Beluga caviar, it should not be confronted with temperatures that are too high.
Fine Beluga, turbot, cauliflower
The Beluga is served as a small dumpling of about 15g on a tender seared turbot fillet. Accompanied by a sauce based on the carcass of turbot, reduced with a little white wine and cream. Next to it a cream of cauliflower. All components are only subtly flavored, allowing the Beluga to shine as a salty and intense protagonist.
And, of course, this combination is ideal for the holidays. Only the turbot (alternatively you could work with cod or monkfish) must be cooked á la minute, the sauce and also the cauliflower can be prepared the day before.
INGREDIENTS
For the cauliflower
- 1 whole cauliflower
- 250 ml cream
Turbot
- 1 whole turbot, approx. 1.000g
For the sauce
- 1 Head and carcass of turbot
- 250 ml cream
- 100 ml white wine
- 50 ml Pernod
- 2 g xanthan gum (optional)
Beluga caviar
- 1 can Imperial Fine Beluga 50g
INSTRUCTIONS
Cauliflower
- Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized pieces and cook in salted water. Then allow to steam out and blend in the Thermomix together with the cream. Return to the saucepan and reduce vigorously until the mixture has lost much of its water and is firm enough to stand up well in a tall, narrow serving ring.Optionally, top with some lightly toasted leeks.
Turbot sauce
- Gently simmer the carcass and head of turbot with 400ml of water for about 30 minutes. Pass through a sieve and reduce the stock further. Add cream and reduce again. Season with a little salt (the caviar will give enough salt later). If desired, mix up with a little xanthan gum for more stability and then place in the center of the plate.
Turbot
- Cut the fillets of turbot into shape and cook gently in butter, first on the skin side, then on the other side. Then remove the skin and place on the sauce on the plate.
Beluga caviar
- Place about 15g of Caviar on the fish. The turbot should no longer be too hot at this stage. To ensure that the dish reaches the guest sufficiently warm, the plate should be well preheated.50g can of caviar fits exactly for four servings.
