ROE & ROE GASTRONOMY

Roe are the eggs from fish, crustaceans and mollusks. The eggs contain the germ for the next generation along with a plethora of nutrients. Roe are also food for other animals in and by the sea as well as for humans. From simple cod roe, over lush lumpfish roe, to exclusive caviar, we consume roe both as a standard commodity, a seasonal specialty and a gastronomic delicacy. Roe is found with a range of egg sizes, colors, textures and flavors and thereby can find their way to our plates in a wide range of dishes.

Roe: Much More Than Caviar provides a popular description of what roe and eggs are, and how we can use them in our kitchen in a sustainable way with respect for nature and with a focus on taste and texture, not least in a green cuisine. Roe is rich in both healthy nutrients and delicious umami taste in addition to providing both crunchy and creamy textures. Roe can therefore be used as a food and as a condiment in many dishes. Roe can be caviar, but roe is much more than roe from sturgeon. The book highlights roe from other species such as flat fish, codfish, mullet, smelt, salmon and herring as well as crab, shrimp, octopus and snails. It also deals with caviar substitutes made from fish meat and seaweeds.

The book illustrates the many uses of the different kinds of roe by presenting many both traditional and novel recipes on the preparation of roe and dishes with roe. This is the joint work of a gastrophysicist and a chef who together have ventured into the kitchen to learn about the wonders of roe by experimenting, tasting and cooking with roe. The driving force for the collaboration has been curiosity and an interest in combining scientific insight with craft and culinary innovation and conveying the lessons thereof to a broader audience.

Ole G. Mouritsen PhD DSc dr.h.c. FRS-DK is a research scientist and professor emeritus of gastrophysics and culinary food innovation at the University of Copenhagen. His work focuses on basic sciences and their applications within the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine, food, and taste. He is the recipient of numerous prizes for his work and for research communication. His extensive list of publications includes several monographs, many of them co-authored with Mouritsen & Styrbæk: Roe: Much More Than Caviar 5

Klavs Styrbæk, which integrate scientific insights with culinary perspectives and have been nominated three times for Gourmand Best in the World Awards. Currently, Ole is president of The Danish Gastronomical Academy and founder and past director of the National Danish Taste Center Taste for Life. For many years, Ole has been fascinated with the Japanese culinary arts and in illuminating the extent to which its techniques and taste elements can be adapted for the Western kitchen. In recognition of his efforts, he was appointed in 2016 as a Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and in 2017 the Japanese Emperor bestowed upon him The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, Kyokujitsu chujusho 旭日中綬.

Klavs Styrbæk is a professional chef who owns and operates STYRBÆKS together with his wife, Pia. By combining a high standard of craftsmanship, sparked by curiosity-driven enthusiasm, he has created a gourmet center where the quality of the food and enjoyment of it are consistently excellent and where people can come to learn and take their culinary skills to a whole new level. Klavs is particularly enthusiastic about seeking out unique, local raw ingredients that are incorporated into new taste adventures or used to revisit traditional Danish recipes that might otherwise be forgotten. This delicate balance between innovation and renewal is demonstrated in his award-winning cookbook Mormors mad (Grandmother’s Food) (2006), which was honored with a special jury prize at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2007. In 2008 and 2019 he was awarded an honors diploma for excellence in the culinary arts by the Danish Gastronomical Academy. Many of the recipes that appear in the books co-authored with Ole originated in the test-kitchens at STYRBÆKS.

Jonas Drotner Mouritsen is a graphic designer and owner of the design company Chromascope that specializes in graphic design, animation, and film production. His movie projects have won several international awards. In addition, he has been responsible for layout, photography, and design of several books about food, some of which have been nominated for Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.