Coral and Roe

Coral is actually the ovary, often containing eggs (roe), of female shellfish. A variety of shellfish corals can be used as last-minute flavorful sauce thickeners. Sea urchin roe and scallop coral are among the most popular. To use either of these, purée them in a food processor with about an equal amount (by volume) of butter, then work the mixture through a drum sieve. The mixture can then be whisked into a sauce as a final flavorful finish. Lobster coral is excellent for finishing crustacean sauces (see “Special Flavors and Finishes for Fish Sauces”).