Potomac Panfried Shad Roe Recipes

Steps:

• Gently pull the sacs away from each other, and the membrane attaching them will come apart. Snip any pieces of membrane that do not break easily with kitchen scissors. Take care not to tear the sacs. Run them under cool water, and pat them dry.
• To know how much butter to poach the roe in, place the sacs in a straight-sided frying pan or saucepan just large enough to hold them in one layer. Add water to halfway up the sides of the sacs. Drain water off into a measuring cup. The level of water in the measuring cup is the level that the melted butter to cook the roe should reach. (In poaching pike or striped bass roe, the water should almost cover it. Both of those puff up in cooking, so they will need more butter.)
• Remove the roe from the pan, and wipe the pan dry. Place the melted butter in the pan over medium heat. When the butter is bubbling, carefully slip the roe into the pan in one layer. Return to a boil.
• Cook over medium heat for 1 minute to firm up the roe. Turn the heat to low (bubbles should be breaking the surface, but not vigorously). Cook for 2 minutes. Gently move each piece to assure that it does not stick. Continue to cook 4 minutes more (5 minutes more for the bass, 27 minutes more for the pike). Carefully flip each piece. Cook for 3 minutes, moving roe gently so that it does not stick. Continue to cook until the roe sacs have changed color and are opaque all the way through, 4 minutes for the shad, 5 minutes for the bass and 27 minutes for the pike. Move the pike occasionally to keep it from sticking.

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet. While foaming is subsiding, lightly dredge roe in flour and shake off excess. Add roe and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Turn over, and brown on the other side. Remove the roe to a plate. If necessary add more butter to the skillet. Add ginger and saute for a moment. Add lemon juice and remove from heat; season with salt and pepper, add parsley or chives and spoon over shad. Serve with lemon or lime wedges.

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. Dredge roe in seasoned flour. In a saute pan over medium heat, heat oil until hot. Add roe to pan and cook top side (side without vein) until well browned. Reduce heat, turn roe over, and continue to cook on second side until well browned and almost firm. Cover pan slightly to avoid dangerous splattering. Remove roe and blot on paper. Return saute pan to heat. Add butter, let melt, and cook until brown. Add lemon juice, allow to sizzle, and add chopped parsley. Plate roe and drizzle lemon butter over top. Serve smoked bacon on top of roe.;

Steps:

• Cook bacon in cast iron or other heavy bottomed pan until crispy. Place in 200 degree F oven.
• Leave about 2 T bacon grease in pan & keep hot from cooking bacon.
• Separate roe pair trying not to puncture roe casing (Cut connecting tissue).
• Cook roe in casing like a sausage in bacon grease over low-medium heat until casing feels taut like a sausage, about 2-3 minutes, turning once. Grease needs to be hot enough for the roe to sizzle when placed in it but not wild splattering. If heat is too hot the casing can pop (this is messy & painful to the cook).Try not to pierce casing when turning as the tiny eggs will extrude.
• Remove from pan & place roe with bacon on paper towel or paper bag in oven.
• Turn up heat in pan & scramble your eggs, toast your tost & serve all with coffee.