Kalles kaviar is more readily available than fresh cod roe where I live, and less daunting to cook with. I have had it before and ate it the “Swedish way”, atop bread, crackers, and such. I hadn’t had much thought to transform it until I got a strong craving to make mentaiko udon at home.
Mentaiko Toast with Poached Egg
My first experiment was to make mentaiko toast with the Kalles. A layer of kewpie mayo, Kalles, and then another layer of mayo. Mix it together or leave it as is, and then into the oven for a quick toast. While it was toasting, I poached an egg and then topped the bubbling spread with it. A quick and satisfying breakfast.
A simple mix of kalles kaviar and kewpie mayo, then toasted until the topping is bubbling. I added a poached egg on top for a more filling breakfast.
Spicy Mentaiko Udon
It was then time to make the meal I had been craving: mentaiko udon.
What could be more fusion than using a Swedish smörgåskaviar to make Japanese-style mentaiko pasta?
- 1 serving of udon
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 200 ml milk
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- gochugaru, to taste
- 1 tbsp of kalles kaviar
- roasted seaweed for garnish
- shiso leaves, for garnish
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Prepare the udon, drain, and set aside.
Over medium heat, sauté the onions until translucent. Add the milk, soy sauce, gochugaru, and kalles kaviar. Stir occasionally until the sauce has thickened. Add the udon, and mix together.
Top with roasted seaweed, shiso leaves, and sesame seeds.
Mentaiko Carbonara / Cream Pasta
You could simply squeeze some kalles kaviar into the traditional way of making carbonara, but I decided to make a cream sauce. The recipe is quite similar to the udon, with a few tweaks.
- one serving of spaghetti
- 1 small onion, sliced
- bacon, sliced into strips
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 200ml table cream
- 2 tsp of kalles kaviar
- black pepper
- parmesan cheese, to taste
- perilla leaves for garnish
- chili flakes, if desired
Prepare one serving of spaghetti, drain, and set aside.
In a pan over medium heat, sauté onions with butter until they begin to carmelize, then add the bacon. Once the bacon has been cooked through, add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add cream, kalles kaviar, black pepper, and parmesan. Stir together and cook until the sauce has thickened. Add the pasta and mix together.
Serve with perilla leaves, parmesan, kalles, and chili flakes if desired.
So, how does this compare with mentaiko?
I won’t pretend this is an exact substitute for fresh cod roe, but for a craving, it was able to satisfy. The ingredient list includes potato flakes and tomato paste, which alters the taste of the dish considerably. A tube runs for $3.99 at IKEA, and for now, it is a good and long-lasting substitute for fresh mentaiko.
orangecane 