Saturday 11 February 2012

Taramosalata


Legend, perhaps for the first time, doesn't remember something. It doesn't recall how a particular part of the world came to be. Of course, sitting in a cave all day doesn't help, and Legend knows it, but what is it to do? Go out and have a walk? Where's the age-old dignity in that? Nowadays Legend only lives in books, its presence is not needed under the sun anymore. The good old Memories are dwindling, and the few that remain more often than not don't have the strength to perpetuate a story. And so it is that Legend spends its days sitting morosely on the stony floor, picking listlessly at a fire with an ancient bolt of lightning, and wondering whatever happened to the past.
There's a knock on the cavern door (Legend's cavern has a door). Wondering who it is, and perhaps a little worried also, Legend gets up, shakes the dust off its clothes, spits in its hands and smoothes back its slick, still-black hair, casts a glance in the future, and opens the door. In front of it stand Divine Cherry and Celestial Dragon. They bring an offering: an electric torch and a nose trimmer. Legend is delighted, it has never seen a nose trimmer before! But Legend isn't stupid. After all, it was there before anybody else. It was there before life began, and it will be the last to leave and lock the universe behind it. It knows that Celestial Dragon and Divine Cherry want something, and it also knows what it is.
Legend walks back deep inside the cave, rummages beneath old stones and brittle bones and comes back with a piece of papyrus – the object of the pair's desire.
Legend has it that this is what the papyrus contained: the legendary recipe for Taramosalata.

Taramosalata - Adapted from "Vefa's kitchen"
- 200g cured cod's roe
- 200g mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoons of choppend onions
- 300ml olive oil
- 5 tablespoons of lemon juice

Put the cod's roe, onion, and a third of the olive oil in a food processor and blend everything for some seconds. Add the mashed potatoes a little at a time and blend everything together. Add olive oil while the motor is still on, and blend until the mixture is smooth and combined. Add the lemon juice and stir well. If the mixture is too thick, add a little water (or soda water) and stir. Serve with olives and crisp bread or pita bread.

Taramosalata, insalata di uova di pesce - Ricetta adattata da "Vefa's kitchen"
- 200 g uova di pesce in scatola, tipo uova di merluzzo
- 200g patate bollite e schiacciate
- 2 cucchiai di cipolla finemente tritata
- 300ml di olio evo
- 5 cucchiai di succo di limone

Mettere, le uova di pesce, la cipolla e un terzo dell'olio in un mixer e frullare tutto per alcuni secondi. Aggiungere le patate lesse schiacciate e frullare. Con il motore del mixer acceso versare a filo l'olio d'oliva, finchè la crema diventa liscia e ben amalgamata. agiungere il succo di limone e mescolare bene. Se la crema dovesse risultare troppo densa, aggiungere u po' di acua (o ancora meglio acqua gasata) e mescolare.
Servire con olive nere (kalamata) e crostini di pane o pane pita (tipo piadina).

6 comments:

  1. This is unique and rare to me, since I am so far inland. Fresh fish takes a special trip to the market and ,well, roe is something I have never seen available.
    This is something that I would love to try, so I hope that some day I will have access to the ingredients. Thanks for sharing this special recipe!

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    1. Thank you Tina! Actually, here in UK you find cod's roe in a can, next to tuna and mackerel! :)

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  2. A nose trimmer? Amusing legend...and a very interesting recipe. Thanks for sharing the story and this neat Greek appetizer~

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    1. Thank you Lizzy! Celestial dragon immagination is endless :)

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  3. Love, love. This is one of my favorites--thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you Pennie, we love this dish too, it remind us of our greek holidays... :)

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