Taramosalata

Have you heard about the omega-3 acids? Of course you have. These unsaturated acids are included in many facial products and are sold separately as food supplements. Human body can not generate them and this is the reason why we reach for the foods which are known for containing them.

Doctors claim, our bodies need them for growth and development and they protect us against stroke and heart disease. Omega-3 acids affect mood in positive way by beating depression and lowering the symptoms  of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 

Omega-3 acids can be found in varying concentrations in the fish roe of the different varieties of fish. And since ancient times, long before anybody has thought about omega-3 acids and their health beneficial properties, people have enjoyed the salted fish roe of different types of fishes, because it is very, very tasty. 

The roes of Beluga, Ossetra, Sevruga, Salmon, called caviars are delicacies, which have no place on the common people everyday's table. But the fish roe of many other fish varieties is eaten in many countries of the world, salted, fried or processed in another way. 

Greeks and Bulgarians love to eat taramosalata. This is a spread, prepared from salted cod  fish roe. You can find taramosalata in the menu of nearly every Greek reastaurant. In Bulgaria you can find taramosalata in the big food chains, but my mummy has always prepared home-made taramosalata, because it is far better.

This creamy smooth paste, result of emulsification of roe with olive oil, lemon juice and onion, requires a lot of bread. One slice as an ingredient of the recipe to make mixture less greasy and to provide puffiness to it. But also far more slices to be covered with this delicious spread. This is my mother's recipe for preparing taramas:

Ingredients:

• 3,5 oz (100 g) taramas (fish roe)
• 1/2  medium onion, finely grated
• 1 slice white stale bread
• 13,5 fl oz. (400 ml) olive oil
• juice from 1 lemon
• 3 Tbsp hot water

Preparation:

Soak tarama in a bowl of water for an hour to remove saltiness. Sieve. I usually put it in a cheese cloth before soaking in water in order to squeeze excess water without loosing any small pieces of the roe. Slice bread and remove crusts. Soak bread in water for 5 minutes and drain thoroughly. Put tarama, onion and bread in a bowl and beat with the electric whisk for 5 minutes. Add slowly half of the olive oil and blend for additional 2-3 minutes until mixture gets creamy. Add slowly the lemon juice and after that the other half of the oil. At the end add the hot water.

Serve with toasts or crusty fresh bread. Garnish with lemon slices, olives and anchovies, cured in salt.