Roe gastronomy

Roe are the eggs or whole gonads from fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and echinoderms. The eggs contain the germ for the next generation along with a goodie bag of nutrients. Roe are also food for animals in and by the sea as well as for humans. From simple cod roe, over lush lumpfish roe, to luxury caviar we consume roe both as a standard commodity, a seasonal specialty, and a gastronomic delicacy. Roe can be caviar, but roe is much more than roe from sturgeon. Roe has a rich gastronomic history, from Antiquity's bottarga to modern-times standard-commodity cod roe as well as tobiko and salmon roe in the globalized sushi culture. Nutritionally, roe is praised for its high contents of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, and its umami potential and interesting mouthfeel characteristics lie at the root of the many uses of roe as foodstuff, condiment, and garnish, not least with an appealing aesthetic appearance. The article highlights roe from other species beyond sturgeon, such as flat fish, codfish, mullet, smelt, trout, and herring as well as crab, shrimp, and octopus. It also mentions caviar substitutes made from fish meat and seaweeds. The article will argue that an insightful and sustainable use of roe can facilitate a green transition via umamification of vegetable and green dishes.