Bottarga - is an Italian delicacy, usually of Sicilan or Sardinian origin. Sometimes called the poor man's caviar, Bottarga is the Roe pouch of either Tuna fish (Tonno) or the gray Mullet fish (Muggine), which is massaged by hand to eliminate air pockets, then dried and cured in sea salt for a few weeks. The result is a dry hard slab, which is then sliced or grated. Its use in Italian and Sicilian cuisines is pretty extensive, and its culinary properties can be compared to those of dry anchovies. Bottarga is often served with lemon juice as an appetizer.
Bottarga, one of the country's best-kept culinary secrets, is removed from the fish and then salted and air-dried into tongue-like shapes.
All of Orbetello's bottarga is produced by the local fishing co-op, Orbetello Pesca Lagunare.
While it is easy enough to buy Sardinian bottarga online (which is delicious and costs on average 7-8 Euros for 4 ounces) you'll have to pay a visit to Orbetello itself in order to taste the local speciality.
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