GREEN CRAB TARAMOSALATA

 
 

Original Recipe by Heather Atwood, Styling by Mary Parks | 45 minutes

Taramosalata is a Greek dish, usually created with cured carp or cod roe. It’s a fatty, rich, and salty dip that’s often paired with pita bread, vegetables, or served atop grilled bread.

A few years ago, Heather Atwood developed a Taramosalata that utilizes green crab roe (or masinette) instead of carp or cod roe. The result is a vibrant yellow-orange dip that leans a bit sweeter and fattier than its whitefish counterpart. Featured in The Green Crab Cookbook, this recipe has become a GreenCrab.org favorite. Check out our recipe for Green Crab Taramosalata toast below using Heather’s recipe for more inspiration.

 

TARAMOSALATA INGREDIENTS

makes about 2 cups

  • 8 ounces bread – any kind of white, crusty bread, Italian or French, roughly chopped

  • 1/2 cup green crab roe and meat (masinette)

  • 1 small onion, grated

  • 1/3 cup lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup olive oil plus more for drizzling on top

  • salt to taste

  • pepper to taste

  • red pepper flakes to taste

 

SOURCED FROM HEATHER ATWOOD - FOOD FOR THOUGHT

SOURCED FROM HEATHER ATWOOD - FOOD FOR THOUGHT

TARAMOSALATA INSTRUCTIONS                                  

  1. Put the bread in a medium bowl, and pour cold water over it. Drain immediately, and squeeze the excess water out of the bread.

  2. Put the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the roe and onion and process lightly. Slowly pour in the lemon juice and olive oil, allowing the bread to slowly integrate the olive oil. Taste for both lemon juice and salt, salt, and pepper. Add red pepper flakes and taste again.

  3. To serve in a bowl, smooth out the top and drizzle the dip with olive oil. Pair the dip with pita, crackers, celery, radish, or carrots.

    This can be made 2-3 hours in advance. Store in refrigerator, but take out 15 minutes before serving so it is not super cold. 

TOAST INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 fennel bulb, shaved

  • fennel fronds, torn

  • zest of a mandarin orange

  • 1 mandarin orange, skin and pith removed, diced

  • celery leaves, torn

  • 1 celery stalk, shaved

  • a drizzle of olive oil

  • juice of one lemon

  • ciabatta or sourdough bread, toasted

  • salt to taste

  • pepper to taste

  • Za'atar to taste

TOAST INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Add salad ingredients (fennel, mandarin, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper) to a bowl, toss, and set aside for 15 minutes.

  2. Toast or grill your sliced bread until the edges char slightly.

  3. Spread a layer of Taramosalata atop the toast. Add a pile of the fennel salad and top with Za'atar.

  4. Serve immediately.