Yesterday, we received some perfectly cured keta salmon roe from Steve Stallard of Blis Caviar. The roe was fresh and fatty, with a light smoke permeating the roe, and it was balanced. We had to find some simple ways to allow this roe to steal the show. When I think of smoked salmon—and how can you not when you eat this roe—cucumbers come to mind. They are bright and fresh and can cut through the richness of smoked salmon. Yet, we needed a way to judiciously apply the cucumber rather than in thin slices or a nice dice. We decided to make cucumber purée. The purée retains the freshness and clarity of cucumbers, the perfect foil for the smoked roe. In its pure form, we took bites of roe and purée and were tempted to serve the two simply by themselves. Yet, I cannot always leave well enough alone, so we put together several dishes that highlight the roe, integrate the cucumber, and create delicious bites. The first dish is a ruby shrimp tartare with Manni olive oil, smoked keta roe, cucumber purée, mustard chip, and epazote. The second dish is a hot spring egg with cucumber purée, smoked roe, marjoram, and chives.
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