Payusnaya Pressed Caviar

Once known as a Russian delicacy (payusnaya is Russian for “pressed”) of pressed Beluga, Osetra and Sevruga caviars, rare Payusnaya caviar is now gaining new ground in the best restaurants in the world. It was a resourceful way of using the broken or more imperfect caviar eggs, and not letting a prized bead go to waste. Made of the same finest-quality sturgeon caviar eggs that our best caviar is made of, these are brined with sea salt and then drained through a muslin sack. The result is a very intense, grainy paste, with a good amount of moisture still present – perfect to spread on toast or to cut into cubes and add to mashed potatoes, rice and risotto, pastas and soups. The bold, concentrated flavor of sea and caviar go perfectly with many preparations, especially blander ingredients.