Potato is a comfortable base for caviar: a modest flavour, soft texture and a surface made for a small spoonful. The crucial detail is the order. Cook the potato first, let the intense heat subside and add the chilled caviar last, just as the bite is about to reach the table.

Ingredients for four

  • Four small potatoes of a similar size, or two medium potatoes cut into even bites.
  • Chilled caviar: for example, a 50 g tin shared by four. This amount is a planning example, not a required portion.
  • Mild olive oil, only if you would like a little sheen on the potato; salt sparingly, and only after tasting the finished bite.

You will also need a saucepan, a clean knife, a serving dish and a mother-of-pearl spoon or another non-reactive utensil for the caviar. You need neither cream nor spices to make the recipe interesting. If you want to offer them, put them on the side so each guest can choose.

1. Cook and cut

Wash the potatoes and simmer them in water until a knife enters easily. Cooking time depends on their size, so test them rather than relying on one universal number of minutes. Drain and leave until comfortable to handle. Cut into halves or thick slices that will sit steadily on the dish. Keep the skin if it is clean and you enjoy its texture.

2. Let the heat ease

Arrange the pieces apart, cut side up. Add a few drops of mild olive oil if you wish. Wait until they are warm rather than steaming or straight from the pan: they should be comfortable to touch and eat. If you have to cook well ahead, store the cooked potato safely and assemble just before serving; do not leave perishable food at room temperature for hours.

3. Add the caviar last

Keep the tin refrigerated in accordance with its label until now. Open it, try a small spoonful on its own, then divide the caviar among the warm potatoes with a clean utensil. Do not heat it or stir it into the saucepan. Serve immediately so the potato retains its texture and the caviar arrives cold, without being cooked by contact.

You can rest the remaining tin over ice while everyone serves themselves. If any caviar remains, check its physical instructions for an opened container; do not assume every brand shares the same timeframe. This recipe allows an unhurried meal, but its final assembly should be brief. On the plate, potato supports the caviar and lets it have the last word.