This season, add caviar to your appetizer tray and delight your guests with the perfect antidote for surviving the sweltering heat of summer. Using seasonal ingredients, these recipes feature a mix of inventive flavor combinations and classic accompaniments for a tasty and decadent variety of amuse bouche.

Sturgeon Caviar with Rye Crackers

To balance out the flavors of sturgeon caviar, bring out its different notes with a side of summer vegetables like cucumbers and radishes. Let your guests create their own appetizers buffet-style so they can customize each bite to their personal preference, a fun way to introduce beginners to the delights of caviar.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

Rye Crackers

3-4 radishes, thinly sliced

1 cucumber sliced into ¼-inch rounds

1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

fresh dill sprigs

5-6 tbsp sturgeon caviar

Directions:

1. Arrange crackers and garnishes on a serving tray, including crème fraîche, vegetables, and herbs.
2. Top with crème fraîche, a spoonful of caviar, and seasonal accompaniments.
3. Enjoy the delightful flavors of caviar with friends and family!

Crab with Cantaloupe and Caviar Sea Salad

The fresh and mellow notes of cantaloupe help to highlight the irresistible flavors of caviar, the star of the show in this zesty and vibrant dish. The savory, buttery flavors of crab and fish-eggs contrast with a seasonal mix of refreshing butter and red lettuces. Add chives to give it a hint of aromatics while the smooth creaminess of mayonnaise and avocados balance out the nuanced flavors of the sea for a fragrant and cohesive amuse bouche.

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette Dressing

2 tbsp champagne vinegar

1 tsp minced shallot

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ cup EVOO

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad

2 pounds fresh crabmeat, cooked, shelled, and picked

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1 bunch chives, chopped

1 bunch red lettuce

1 bunch butter lettuce

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cantaloupe, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks

2 avocados, peeled, seeded, and sliced

I ounce sturgeon caviar

Directions:

Dressing

1. Whisk together vinegar, shallot, and mustard in the bowl. Slowly mix in oil and stir until emulsified.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Salad

1. Squeeze excess water out of crabmeat.
2. Mix crab with mayonnaise, vinaigrette, and chives. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Rinse and dry lettuces. Then, roughly chop and add to a mixing bowl.
4. Puree cantaloupe in a blender.
5. Plate each dish with lettuce and top with 2 tablespoons of cantaloupe puree in the center.
6. Fill a mold with sliced avocado and crab.
7. Add the avocado and crab mold the cantaloupe and dollop with caviar to complete the dish. Sprinkle chives on top as a fragrant garnish and enjoy.

Serve these decadent treats with Mother of Pearl spoons to maintain the distinctive, delicate flavors of fish-eggs, and bon appetit!