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Taramasalata

This creamy dip is made from tarama, the salted (and sometimes smoked) roe of mullet or other fish (we usually see it made from cod or salmon roe). Serve it with strips of fresh vegetables, like cucumber, red pepper, carrot, and celery, toasted pita bread, or both.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

3 or 4 slices good white bread, preferably stale
2 or 3 garlic cloves, to taste, peeled
One 7- or 8-ounce jar tarama
Juice of 2 lemons, or to taste
About 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper, if necessary

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Soak the bread in water to cover while you prepare the other ingredients. When it’s soft, squeeze the water from it and put it in a food processor with the garlic, tarama, and a couple tablespoons of lemon juice.

    Step 2

    Turn the machine on and add olive oil in a steady stream until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Taste and add more lemon juice, oil, or garlic if you like; you may also add a little salt and pepper. Serve immediately or cover tightly and refrigerate for up to a couple of days before serving.

The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved. MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.
TagsDipSpreadsGreekEuropeanLemonCitrusFruitGarlicRoot VegetableVegetableStarterDinnerDairy FreeNut Free5 Ingredients or FewerEasyQuickMake AheadNo-CookFood ProcessorCookbooks
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