Name: Shad Roe with bacon and lemon
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 cup (125 g) unbleached all-purpose flour; 1½ cups (360 ml) buttermilk 4 slices thick-cut bacon; Four 5-ounce (140-g) lobes shad roe (2 sets); 2 tablespoons minced shallot; 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar; 1 small lemon, segmented, plus lemon wedges for serving

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood

By John Ash

Published 2023

About

Shad roe is a delicacy that’s available only during the spring, so make the most of it when it’s available. Coating the roe sacs with buttermilk and flour, frying them in bacon fat until crisp, and serving them with bacon and lemon segments is one of the best ways to enjoy this food. Nothing else is needed.

Ingredients

Four 5-ounce (140-g) lobes shad roe (2 sets)
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Method

Add the shad roe lobes to a small bowl and pour the buttermilk over the lobes to cover the lobes. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

In a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook the bacon, turning once, until browned and crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat in the pan. Tear the bacon into large pieces. Set aside.

Add the flour to a sh