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When my oldest was still at his Russian-run preschool, he came home one day and told me he had eaten “fish eggs” for lunch. “Don’t you mean chicken eggs?” I asked. “No, not yellow eggs,” he replied. “They were brown.” A check with the school’s director the next day revealed that she had, indeed, served the kids a bit of caviar for lunch, which she extolled for its healthful properties.
Me, I’ve never been much of a fan of the stuff. Price was–and is–one big reason, but being the eco-freak that I am, I was disinclined to add demand to a market that has been seriously over-fished. The World Conservation Union did, however, partially lift its ban on Black Sea caviar this past January, and I have discovered a few producers of sustainably farmed sturgeon, so I could serve real caviar in clear conscience in a pinch.
Luckily for me, Russians are just as fond of vegetable “caviars” as they are of the real stuff. Take a tour of any Russian zakuski, or appetizer table, and you’re likely to find a host of imitators. They are generally quick and easy to make, and a whole lot lighter on the wallet than the real stuff.
What kinds of vegetable caviars? On the Food Network site, I have found Pickled Beet Caviar, served with blini. There is an even easier beet caviar recipe here, attributed to a Mark Bittman cookbook.
Then there is mushroom caviar. I don’t know if Russians love any food more than mushrooms. I’ve seen mushroom caviars made from fresh mushrooms, like this one on Whole Foods‘ Web site and some versions that use dried. Of course, if you are going to truly go Russian on this, you need to use mushrooms that you have foraged yourself from the woods.
If you take your favorite ratatouille recipe and cube the vegetables smaller, you’ve got a pretty good approximation of a Russian mixed-vegetable caviar. And then, if you want to completely befuddle your guests, try these Beluga Lentil Crostini from one of my favorite food Web sites, 101 Cookbooks.
If you are celebrating something really big this season, like a successfully completed Russian adoption, maybe the moment does call for the real stuff. Whatever your choice, enjoy!
Image credit: ronnieb, at Morguefile.com
