Taramasalata

A silky, briny dip born from the fishing villages of Greece and the Aegean coast, where cured fish roe has been a prized ingredient since Byzantine times. Made with salted carp or cod roe whipped into a cloud-like emulsion, it is a staple of Greek Orthodox fasting tables and mezze spreads across the country.

Ingredients

100g white tarama (salted, cured carp or cod roe)

4 slices stale white bread, crusts removed (approximately 120g)

4 tbsp cold water (for soaking bread)

1 small white onion, roughly grated

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

180ml mild extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp cold water, as needed to adjust consistency

Pinch of white pepper

Kalamata olives and fresh dill, to garnish

Instructions

Soak the bread slices in 4 tablespoons of cold water for 2 minutes, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible with your hands until the bread forms a compact, damp mass.

If using jarred tarama, rinse it briefly under cold water to remove excess salt, then taste — it should be pleasantly salty and briny but not overwhelming.

Place the tarama, soaked bread, and grated onion into a food processor and blitz for 30 seconds until the mixture is uniformly combined and paste-like.

With the processor running on low speed, add the lemon juice and then pour in the olive oil in a very slow, thin, steady stream — as you would when making mayonnaise — allowing the mixture to emulsify into a pale, creamy, smooth dip. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes.

Taste the taramasalata and adjust seasoning with white pepper and additional lemon juice if needed. If the texture is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of cold water and pulse briefly to loosen it.

Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, and garnish with Kalamata olives and a sprig of fresh dill. Serve immediately with warm pita bread or crusty sourdough, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.