Clean Monday, March 7th this year, is the start of Greek Lent, the 49-day period of abstention from animal products that also happens to be the time of year when some of the tastiest Greek foods are made. One of them, a classic of the Lenten table, is taramosalata. This is the spread made with cod or carp roe. Recipes vary from region to region, but basically a base of either stale bread, potato or blanched almonds is whipped with the fish roe, olive oil, and lemon juice until the mixture emulsifies and becomes smooth and creamy. You can add garlic, scallions, and a pickled pepper or two. You can also make it light and airy by whipping a little water or seltzer into the mixture.
In Greece you can find two basic types of tarama: white and pink. The former contains no food coloring, while the pink stuff has been dyed to make it more "attractive" to the average consumer. White tarama is more expensive. In the U.S. I have only seen the pink stuff.
Serve taramosalata with warm pita triangles, roasted or boiled beets, seafood, and raw vegetables. It's also tasty dolloped on top of a bowl of simple chick pea soup. My friend Argyro Barbarigou of Papadakis restaurant serves her chick pea soup that way.
Taramosalata
Makes 8-10 meze servings
2 one-inch thick slices of stale country-style white bread (not commercial sliced bread), crusts removed
½ cup blanched almonds
1 small garlic clove
150 gr. (5 oz.) tarama (carp or cod roe), preferably white
