Creamy, smooth and delicious, taramasalata or taramosalata is a Greek meze made from tarama, the salted and cured roe of the cod, carp, or grey mullet mixed with olive oil, lemon juice, and a starchy base of bread or potatoes, or sometimes almonds.
Usually served as part of a meze platter with lots of pita breads or bread, taramasalata is a very popular Greek dip throughout the year.
Here however, in a salty take on the traditional taramasalata, we present to you 'barra-samalata', using barramundi in place of roe which is the key ingredient of the original dish.
Give this recipe a try and enjoy your own fresh homemade barra-masalata in less than 20 minutes - sparing yourself and your family from all of the unnecessary preservatives, thickeners and food colouring found in your typical store-bought dips.
In place of the usual pita bread, serve with home-made roast vegetable crisps and enjoy!
BARRA-MASALATA RECIPE
Preparation Time: 15 - 20 mins
Cook Time: 15–20 mins
Serves 4–6 as a snack
INGREDIENTS
150g barramundi, skin off
100g smoking wood chips
100g brown onion, peeled and diced
300mls canola oil
100g white bread, crust removed
sea salt to taste
1 egg yolk
4 ice cubes
40mls (2 tbsp) lemon juice
METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 140 ̊C. Pre-heat deep-fryer (or frying pan with oil) to 140 ̊C.
1. Prepare the barramundi:
If you have a smoker or smoke gun:
Cold-smoke the barramundi for 15 minutes.
If you do not have a smoker:
Line the base of a large saucepan with 3 layers of foil and scatter the wood chips over the foil. Using a blowtorch, flame the woodchips until they ignite, then place a lid over the saucepan to put out the flames. This is now your smoking pot.
Place the barramundi fillet in a perforated steaming rack. Remove the lid from the smoking pot and place the barramundi rack over the smoke. Cover the pot with a lid and let smoke for 15 minutes.
Remove the barramundi from the smoker and place on a lined baking tray. Put into the pre-heated oven for 5–10 mins until the fish is cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
2. Dip Base:
While the barramundi is cooling, make the base of the barra-masalata dip by putting the 300mls of canola oil in the fridge to cool (this will stop the dip from splitting).
Place the onion and bread into a food processer and blend until the bread has become a moist crumb, add the egg yolk and blend until combined. While still mixing, slowly start to add the oil.
Once you have added half the oil, blend the ice cubes through the mix.
If the mix is getting too thick, add a little water.
Continue adding the rest of the oil until you have a smooth paste and the oil is combined.
Season to taste.
3. Combine:
Place the dip base (above) into a mixing bowl.
Put the smoked barramundi pieces into the food processer and blend until broken down.
Fold the smoked barramundi through the base and season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
To serve, spoon the dip mix into a serving bowl and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.
Serve your fresh homemade barra-masalata with pita bread or our roast vegetables crisps below.
ROAST VEGETABLE CRISPS
INGREDIENTS
For vegetables with lower water content (like sweet potatoes):
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced on a mandolin slicer (use the thinnest setting you can without the slices being paper thin)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
For vegetables with higher water content (like beets):
- 1 beet, scrubbed and thinly sliced on a mandolin slicer (use the thinnest setting you can without the slices being paper thin)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
METHOD
For sweet potato chips:
- Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, add the sweet potatoes, oil, and salt. Using your hands, make sure the chips are evenly coated with oil and salt and then lay them out in a single layer on the baking paper lined baking tray.
- Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, rotate the pans and bake another 15 minutes. Make sure to check periodically for chips that are turning brown around the edges and remove them sooner if needed. If you have some chips that are still a little moist, leave them in for another 5 to 15 minutes as needed to crisp up.
- Let cool and store in an airtight container until ready to serve with your barra-masalata.
For the beets:
- Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, add the beets, oil, and salt.
- Using your hands, make sure the chips are evenly coated with oil and salt.
- Let the chips sit for about 10 minutes to sweat out some of the water and then lay them out in a single layer on the baking paper lined baking tray.
- Bake for 15 minutes and then rotate the pan.
- Bake another 15 minutes (45 minutes total) and make sure to check for chips that are turning brown around the edges and remove them sooner if needed. If you have some chips that are still a little moist, leave them in for another 5 to 15 minutes as needed to crisp up.
- Let cool and store in an airtight container until ready to serve with your barra-masalata.
