Lumpfish roe

Œufs de lump

What it is

Lumpfish roe comes out of the fish a dull grey-pink and is dyed before it ever reaches a jar, black with cuttlefish ink or red with a food colour. It is then pasteurised, which is why an unopened jar keeps for a year and why the grains are firm and slightly rubbery rather than fragile.

In the kitchen

Add them at the very last moment and never stir them into anything pale. The dye bleeds on contact with acid, moisture or heat, and will grey out a cream or a potato salad within minutes.

Goes with

Potato Crème fraîche Egg Cucumber Dill Lemon Rye berries

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