Smoked cod roe

Œufs de cabillaud fumés

What it is

The Greek meze that made it famous takes its name from tarama, an Ottoman Turkish word for fish roe borrowed in turn from Persian, and it was Lenten food before it was a dip. Carp and mullet roe came first; cod is the northern substitute, the one that travelled.

In the kitchen

Peel the sac before blending or you keep the grit — slit the membrane and scrape the roe out with a spoon. Then work it like mayonnaise: soaked bread or potato first, lemon, oil in a thread, and stop the moment it pales and stiffens.

Goes with

Olive oil Lemon Potato Garlic Red onion Dill Cucumber

Same species

Cod Cod liver Hwangtae (freeze-dried pollack) Cod tongues Mentaiko Salt cod

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