There is no Greek festive table on Clean Monday (Καθαρά Δευτέρα) without the famous Taramosalata: Fish roe salad which is actually a dip. But you know, we, Greeks, call all salads and dips “salata”.
Taramosalata is spread on warm Lagana, the Greek unleavened flatbread, traditionally baked on Clean Monday, the first day on the Lent before Eastern.
To make Taramosalata is simple. You need Tarama (fish roe), bread crumbs, oil, lemon juice and onion.
Definitely no salt as the fish roe is very salted.
What is important is the kind of the fish roe you use. There are several sorts in the market. the quality differs – and the color. Pink Tarama is considered to be of low-quality as it is dyed pink.
You go ‘safe’ if you buy dark beige color. When you mix the dip, the mass splits into very tiny pearls of fish roe that become visible through the bread/oil mass.
Taramosalata for 4:
Ingredients
1 tablespoon tarama heaped
2 cups bread crumbs (best from previous day) soaked in water and very well drained
30 ml olive oil
1/2 onion medium size
juice of one medium lemon
Directions
Soak bread in tab water for 10 minutes
Take the handful of bread (the inside only) and squeeze water out
Put it in a food processor or blender
Add the tarama, the onion, the lemon juice and 3/4 of the olive oil
Mix for a couple of minutes until a thick white paste
Add the rest of the oil
Blend again thoroughly but not too long.
Chill Taramosalata for two hours (if you can wait)
Of course, we eat Taramosalata every day and independently of whether it is Clean Monday or not.
Serve with black olive in the middle for …orientation.
PS the pictures do not show Taramosalata at its best due to the artificial light in the kitchen. But whatever. It tastes delicious.
