Bottarga – salted, dried mullet roe – is the most popular seasoning in Sardinia. It’s grated over pasta, sliced as an antipasto, shaved over salad and beaten into butter to melt over steak (see video below). This simple salad with bottarga & Persian fetta marries creamy, salty, tangy cheese with salty, umami-rich roe and the crisp, sweet crunch of celery heart on soft lettuce leaves. Much of the bottarga sold in Sardinia is made from imported Australian grey mullet roe. Sardinian-born chef Giovanni Pilu cuts out the middleman and makes excellent bottarga in Australia.

Serves 4 as a side dish or antipasto

Ingredients
  • 1 red oak leaf lettuce
  • 2 stalks celery heart (about 20g/¾oz)
  • 100g Persian fetta (3½oz)
  • 30g bottarga, peeled and sliced (1oz)
  • Agrodolce white wine vinegar, for drizzling
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Method
  1. Wash and dry lettuce well and arrange it on a platter.
  2. Slice celery heart finely and scatter it over the lettuce.
  3. Dot fetta evenly all over the lettuce.
  4. Crumble bottarga over the top.
  5. Drizzle a little vinegar over the top.
  6. Add a generous drizzle of oil.
  7. Serve salad with bottarga & Persian fetta immediately.

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Steak with Bottarga Butter

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