Springtime Special

Springtime Special


Slightly North of Broad’s Russ Moore riffs on classic shrimp and grits with shad roe and polenta


Written by Marion Sullivan

A delicacy prized by chefs and home cooks alike, shad roe is a harbinger of spring. According to Dan Long, wholesale manager and vice president of Crosby’s Seafood, the South Carolina shad season begins in January and ends mid-April. Crosby’s has sold the dark-fleshed fish whole and filleted, as well as its roe, or eggs, since 1981. As shad is a fish of many bones, it’s the roe that most customers seek.

One of those customers is Russ Moore, chef of Slightly North of Broad (SNOB). “We’ve always served shad roe,” he says. “Its arrival is a prized spring event.” Moore only buys local roe and he gets it from Crosby’s. “I consider it artisanal—a very small operation. Each set of roe shows up in a ziplock bag, delivered to us as soon as Crosby’s gets it in.” He describes it as an old-school South Carolina delicacy, creamy and rich when cooked.

In this favorite SNOB dish, Moore wraps the roe in bacon, a traditional way of cooking the eggs to produce a crispy exterior. He pairs this with Anson Mills polenta for “a lighter play on shrimp and grits.” Hydroponic tomatoes deliver a fresh note of acid.

Bacon-Wrapped Shad Roe with Anson Mills Polenta & Heirloom Tomato Salad

For the heirloom tomato salad:
1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. local honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced heirloom tomatoes or halved heirloom cherry tomatoes

Put the balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together to combine. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Add the tomatoes and gently toss. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

For the polenta:
4 cups water
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/3 cups Anson Mills polenta

Put the water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta. Bring the mixture back to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 15 minutes. Cover and keep warm on lowest heat.

For the shad roe:
2 (6- to 8-oz.) sets shad roe
8 strips apple-smoked bacon
2 Tbs. canola oil

Rinse the sets of roe with cold running water to remove any excess blood. Using a sharp knife, carefully separate the two lobes, being careful not to puncture the membrane. Starting at its thick end, wrap each lobe with two strips of bacon. Make sure none of the lobe is left uncovered, but cut off any excess bacon.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shad roe and brown on each side for three to five minutes for medium, or eight to nine minutes for well done. The shad roe should be crispy and brown and feel firm but springy. Serve over the polenta and add the heirloom tomato salad. Use the excess vinaigrette to sauce the plate.

For more of Moore’s shad roe recipes, click here.

For more local food coverage, click here.