A luxurious caviar recipe perfect for the holidays

I would like to spend the few days leading up to Christmas doing as little as possible. In addition to conserving energy for the big day, I’m always looking to take advantage of the breaks in my busy schedule and make the most of my free time.

And what could be more relaxing than eating caviar on vacation?

A delicacy once reserved for the wealthy is now more available than ever, with established European brands now competing with new entrants harvesting sturgeon eggs right here in California.

For local restaurants, caviar can add a touch of luxury to their menus, adding caviar-filled dishes to dishes like lobster rolls with found oysters and fried chicken with anajak Thai. There are also many restaurants that offer service.

When you see “caviar bumps” on a restaurant menu, you can’t help but take a spoonful of the sparkling pearls. I love the creamy flavor that sturgeon eggs provide when eaten alone, paired with everything from fries to champagne, or served with blini, fresh cream, dill, and dried egg yolks. I love the salty flavor.

So, while you prepare to make the most of your vacation with a cheesy holiday movie marathon, make these simple sides like a few blini, sunchokes, and green onion panna cotta to pair with a spoonful of caviar. , deviled eggs, and scallop ceviche.

Many of the recipes below are from chef Thomas Keller of Napa Valley’s French Laundry, in addition to New York’s Per Se and other fine dining restaurants. Caviar takes center stage in one of Keller’s signature dishes, Oysters and Pearls, with oyster bellies and islands of caviar floating in a buttery tapioca custard.

If real caviar isn’t in your budget, you can use fish roe like salmon, trout, or tobiko instead to create a similar flavor.

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Lemon herb blini with dill cream and smoked salmon

This recipe takes all the flavors from traditional caviar spread and fuses them together. The blini features lemon zest and herbs such as parsley, chives, and thyme, while the dill cream is a blend of fresh cream, lemon juice, shallots, and dill. Blinis are meant to be eaten warm, so start making the caviar as soon as you’re ready.
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Cooking time: 50 minutes. Makes about 10 blinis.

yukon gold potato blini

Based on a recipe by Thomas Keller, these potato blini are fluffy and light, so you’ll want to go all out with your accessories. Make them on a griddle just like regular buttermilk pancakes, but use a thin-edged spatula to keep the little disks from falling apart when you flip them.
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Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes. Makes 3 to 3 1/2 dozen small blini.

(Kirk McCoy/Los Angeles Times)

buckwheat blini

If you want to create a fancier profile, try making buckwheat blini. Former LA Times restaurant critic S. Irene Virvila recommends giving it a try. Instead of standard toppings, try garnishing these mini pancakes with kimchi and fried eggs, salmon tartare, or sautéed wild mushrooms. Avoid meats such as duck breast or anything that would make the delicate bliny difficult to eat.
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Cooking time: 40 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen blini.

(Kirk McCoy/Los Angeles Times)

Panna cotta with sunchokes and green onions

This flavorful panna cotta recipe by Thomas Keller is rich and nutty, yet delicate enough to let the caviar flavor shine through. Keller also offers advice on how to buy caviar and which varieties pair well with different dishes. Prepare your sunchoke panna cotta ahead of time and have it ready whenever you’re ready for your next caviar treat.
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Cooking time: 1 hour. Serves 4 people.

(Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Deviled eggs with California white sturgeon caviar

Make this recipe for yourself or as an easy and impressive appetizer for a holiday party. Only a few ingredients are needed, but adding a quenelle of caviar to each bite transforms deviled eggs from a typical party staple to a fancy bite. Feel free to replace the California white sturgeon with your favorite caviar.
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Cooking time: 40 minutes. You can make 12 deviled eggs.

(Calvin B. Aragot/Los Angeles T)

Scallop ceviche with caviar

Former L.A. Times food writer Regina Schrambling calls this scallop ceviche a nod to Réveillon de Noël, a French celebration the night before Christmas that often features caviar, foie gras, turkey and goose. We recommend making this with caviar on Christmas Eve. The meal ends with 13 desserts. If you’re interested in participating in this tradition, Schrambling offers a 10-minute recipe for scallop ceviche with a simple side of avocado and seeded serrano chiles.
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Cooking time: 10 minutes. Serves 4 people.

Scallop ceviche with caviar.

(Mel Melcon/Los Angeles Times)