Wide-Scale Maslenitsa Celebrations in Vladivostok and Moscow Feature Pollock Roe from Russian Fishery Company

The events blended historical traditions with culinary exploration. On February 21, RFC, in collaboration with the Samberi hypermarket and Madam Mei restaurant, hosted a tasting of blini with screened pollock roe and conducted a unique master class on preparing fillings from pollock roe sacs (yastyks).

In Asia, particularly in Japan and Korea, pollock roe has long been widely used in cooking in all its forms. In Russia, however, screened roe is more familiar. But this Maslenitsa, residents were offered the chance to diversify their blini week treats with another type of roe—roe sacs, or yastyk roe. This preparation preserves the natural membrane sac, thereby retaining maximum vitamins and micronutrients.

Pollock roe is rich in vitamins A, D, E, and B; contains Omega-3 fatty acids beneficial for heart and vascular health; and is easily absorbed by the body. RFC produces its roe on specially equipped lines aboard new super-trawlers—modern and technologically advanced vessels—transporting it from ship to shore while preserving its unique properties as much as possible.

For the guests, Maxim Lankin, chef at Madam Mei restaurant, prepared the yastyk roe, a product still new to the Russian market. He salted the yastyks in kombu seaweed, which drew out excess moisture and infused the roe with a subtle marine flavor. At home, you can salt the yastyks using a standard method and layer them with nori sheets, the chef noted. To complement the roe, he prepared a spread of cream cheese and egg mixed with parsley and dill, adding a bit of red onion for crunch. He finished off the iconic Maslenitsa blin with a garnish of grated bottarga—smoked and dried pollock roe.

On February 22, the main culinary attraction in Vladivostok was “Fisherman’s Maslenitsa.” An outdoor “blini island” was set up at the Russia National Center, treating everyone to blini with a variety of fillings. Guests could enjoy hearty blini with traditional fillings, as well as blini featuring lightly smoked pollock roe yastyks from the chef of Na Lavashe café.

Soup masters then took over: five chefs teamed up to make 200 liters of rich Far Eastern ukha, made with wild pollock from the RFC.

Inside the Russia National Center that day, visitors could join cooking master classes on making stuffed blini with pollock roe.

Meanwhile, in Moscow, a culinary master class at the House of Russian Cuisine at VDNH focused on preparing ikryaniki—classic Russian oladi with pollock roe. Guests got a unique chance to explore the product—pollock roe from the Putina company—and learn a rare recipe and cooking method from traditional Russian cuisine. Visitors could try ikryaniki during the Wide Maslenitsa master classes or pick them up at the corner shop throughout the entire Maslenitsa week.

The events were organized by the Russian Fishery Company, the Russia National Center in Primorsky Krai, the Primorye Tourist Information Center, the Gastronomic Map of Russia, and the Putina company.