Ingredients
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1 medium Potatoes
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Salt
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1 ripe large Avocado
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¼ cup Tarama
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½ to ⅔ cup (120 to 160 ml) extra-virgin Greek Olive Oil
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1 large Lemon Juice
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Hot Sauce
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Homemade Pita Chips
Directions
Nutrient-dense tarama, the savory, salty fish roe (usually of cod or carp) that forms the basis of taramosalata, one of Greece’s best-known dips, inspires recipes that in this day and age move far beyond tradition. The roe itself is a superfood in its own right, packed with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins D, A, K, E, and B12. It’s a powerhouse of minerals including potassium, selenium, phosphorous, and copper. No wonder it’s one of the foods almost always on the table during Lent, a period of abstention from all animal products, but one rich in some of the healthiest foods of the Greek diet nonetheless.
Most traditional recipes call for emulsifying tarama with olive oil and lemon juice, typically bound with a bread or potato base. This unusual version was born in the kitchen of Committee restaurant in Boston, where I am consulting chef. We serve it as a dip. It’s also one of the Greek dips that works well as a sandwich spread.
Steps
1
Done
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Place the potato in a small pot and add enough water to cover by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Bring to a boil, season the water with salt, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the potato cubes are fork-tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the potatoes in the hot water and cover to keep them warm. |
2
Done
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Halve the avocado and remove the pit. Score the flesh with a paring knife. |
3
Done
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Use a slotted spoon to transfer the hot potato cubes to the bowl of a food processor or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (reserve the potato cooking water). Add the tarama and use a spoon to scoop the avocado flesh out of the skins and add it as well. Pulse or beat to combine, then add the olive oil and lemon juice in alternating increments, a few tablespoons at a time, until the mixture is smooth and has the consistency of mayonnaise. Loosen the mixture to the desired consistency by adding some of the reserved potato cooking water. Season to taste with salt and a few drops of hot sauce, if desired. Serve with pita chips or crudités. |