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Red caviar butterbrods

Buterbrody s ikroi (бутерброды с икрой): buttered white bread with salmon roe

When the Soviet festive table had one luxury, this was it: little slices of white bread, thick with cold butter and topped with glistening orange salmon roe, set out for New Year's Eve, birthdays and the first course of a wedding. The pleasure is in the textures, the bead-like eggs bursting with a salty sea taste against sweet butter and soft bread. Salmon roe is salted and cured, not cooked: buy pasteurised roe in a chilled jar or tin from a good fishmonger, keep it in the fridge and eat it the day it is opened; it is not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system. A common mistake is spreading the butter thin; you need a proper layer to anchor the roe. Chef's tip: spoon the roe with a plastic or bone spoon rather than metal, and add it at the last minute so it stays plump.
Total time
10 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Cut the 12 slices white baguette or soft white loaf into neat slices, trimming the crusts if you like a dainty look.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Spread each slice generously with the soft 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter right to the edges, about 5 g per slice.

    3 min
  3. Step 3: Just before serving, spoon about 1 heaped teaspoon of 3 ½ oz pasteurised salmon roe (red caviar) onto each slice, spreading it gently in a single layer so the eggs do not burst.

    3 min
  4. Step 4: Top with a ⅛ oz fresh dill sprigs sprig and a tiny ¼ lemon wedge and serve at once, or keep in the fridge for no more than 30 minutes. Not for pregnant women, young children or anyone with a weakened immune system.

    1 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
260 kcal
Protein
10 g
Carbs
26 g
Fat
13 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does red caviar butterbrods take?
About 10 minutes in total.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).

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