From Russian caviar to Japanese tarako, fish roe has been revered in many cultures as a special addition to dishes. Sacs of roe are usually salted for preservation, and then either marinated with other ingredients or hung and dried.
Bottarga falls into the latter category. Grey mullet roe (or sometimes, bluefin tuna roe!) are cured and dried, till the sacs are stiff, which allows it to be sliced or grated. Add it to a simple buttered pasta, enjoy it simply on a good slice of bread with a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil, or even blend it into your Caesar salad dressing in place of anchovies - there's no question that this Italian ingredient can add a touch of the sea to whatever you enjoy eating.
So how did our judges do in the bottarga blind taste-test? 
[Melissa] Ah, yep. I got this one.
Sliced botargo Source: Getty Images/Brett Stevens
Can our judges taste bottarga whilst blindfolded? Source: The Chefs' Line
[Dan] I got this one! I know exactly what this is.
[Melissa] Yep, same.
[Mark] Taste fishy.
[Mark] I'm just going to write 'fishy'. (Chews some more) Oh, that's horrible
Our judges make their best guess? Will any of it be 'bottarga'? Source: The Chefs' Line
[Melissa] It's delicious, I love it.
(Which cuisine week do you think it's from?)
The judges make their guesses. Mark looks incredibly unsure... Source: The Chefs' Line
[Dan] Italian!
[Melissa] Italiano!
(So you've had it before?)
[Melissa] Totally. Giovanni Pilu makes some of the best Australian bottarga, ever!
(What would you use it in?)
[Melissa] Microplaned over some pasta, LOTS OF BUTTER. Lots of olive oil!
[Dan] It's actually very common in Taiwan. Taiwan also...
Bottarga is best grated over anything you'd like to add a bit of salty fishy flavour to. Source: The Chefs' Line
[Melissa] Cured mullet roe!
[Dan] Yeah, and Japan. It's most commonly used on pasta...
[Melissa] Scrambled eggs...
[Dan] But you can pretty much put it on anything to add a bit of saltiness and fishiness and umami...
[Mark] It's got that spicy, fishy flavour.
Have we got your attention and your tastebuds? The Chefs’ Line premieres Monday 6 August, 6pm weeknights, on SBS followed by an encore screening at 9.30pm on SBS Food Network. Episodes will be available after broadcast via SBS On Demand. Join the conversation #TheChefsLine on Instagram @sbsfood, Facebook @SBSFood and Twitter @SBS_Food. Check out sbs.com.au/thechefsline for episode guides, cuisine lowdowns, recipes and more!
