Everyone has a signature dish and silky, white, lemon spiked taramosalata is Ma’s dish. A classic lenten dish and essential for “clean Monday” Taramosalata has many regional variations. Most have a starchy base, using potatoes or bread. Ma’s starch of choice is a very good quality, preferably wholewheat sourdough – one or two days old, which is dampened in a little water. The best quality Greek Extra virgin olive oil is also essential, whipped into an emulsion (like mayonnaise) with plenty of fresh lemon juice. Patience is required when adding the oil and lemon juice, Ma recommends only adding just the thinnest stream, very slowly until it is fully incorporated.
The most important ingredient is the Tarama itself and in Australia, Ma uses the pale coral “Beach Gold Australian Caviar Tarama” brand, which is from a Greek-Australian owned company.
A feast on its own with traditional Lagana bread, taramosalata is also delicious next to a slice of spanakopita or alongside lenten bean soups. A “superfood” taramasalata is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and protein; a great source of good monounsaturated fats and antioxidants from the olive oil and there is plenty of vitamin C in the lemon juice.
Taramosalata
Ingredients
- 50 g of tarama half a tin of “beach gold” brand - the other half will freeze well
- 2 small white onions
- 1 round loaf of stale sourdough bread it must be have been left to dry on a kitchen bench under a towel - not in the fridge
- 150 ml fresh lemon juice
- 150 ml EVOO
Instructions
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Place the tarama into the bowl of the food processor.
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Grate the two small onions into a bowl.
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Add the grated onions to the tarama in the bowl of the food processor. Blend.
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Take the stale loaf of bread (it must be have been left to dry on a kitchen bench under a towel - not in the fridge). Soak the bread in a large bowl of water.
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Break off pieces of the bread and carefully remove all of the crusts.
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Squeeze all of the water out of the pieces of bread - make sure as much of the water is removed as you possibly can.
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Start the food processor running and add each piece of the bread as you go, after the crusts and water has been removed.
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Take your cup (or bottle of good Greek olive oil) and gradually add a little bit at a time to the bowl of the food processor, while the motor is running.
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Take your cup of lemon juice and gradually add a little bit at a time to the bowl of the food processor, while the motor is running. You should alternate pouring in the olive oil with the lemon juice.
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Stop the motor of the food processor, take a spoon of the taramosalata and check the balance of the oil and lemon. If it needs more of either oil, or lemon, or both - adjust by adding to the bowl of the food processor. When ready, place the finished taramosalata in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. You may also like to decorate with capers and chopped parsley.
