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Recipe of the Week: Taramasalata

As a new feature of my blog I've decided to write a recipe each week. These will vary in terms of if i'm trying to have a healthy week or an indulgent one so you'll certainly get an idea of what's in my food shop- but who doesn't love to be nosey ey?

So kick starting the first weekend of 2018 my recipe of the week is homemade taramasalata! Ever since being diagnosed with coeliac I knew this would be the hardest thing to give up. When people ask me what I miss the most they probably expect to hear pizza or fresh bread but that isn't the case for me. Taramasalata is my favorite food ever and since I can't buy it in the shop anymore I've had to learn how to make it myself. For those who aren't familiar with what it is, it's basically a fresh greek dip made from smoked cod roe that is zesty, oniony and really smoky. As my friend Melina describes it it's 'greek caviar but better'; I must admit I agree with her. 

The tricky part is buying the cod roe. I get it from my local fish mongers which is Walter Purkis & Sons in Crouch end or Muswell hill, however they don't always have it so it's always a bit of a gamble and can be pretty frustrating when you're craving it. But if they do have it I would say ask for about £4 worth of smoked cod roe which is enough to serve 3-4 people as a starter.

The ingredients you need:
- Smoked cod roe
- 1 lemon
-  virgin olive oil
- a more neutral oil like rapeseed oil
- half a red or white onion
- fresh parsley 
- cracked black pepper

Method:

-Start by scraping the roe from the skin and then transfer straight into a blender. I find the easiest way to do this is by cutting a line down the middle, splitting it open and using a fork to remove the roe. It's not the most glamorous of jobs but by using a knife and fork you get a lot out and don't really need to touch it. 
- Once all the roe is in the blender put it on auto and slowly start adding the olive oil. I haven't given a measurement as I think it depends on your taste buds. Do the same with the neutral oil and it should become a creamy texture quite quickly. 
- Turn the blender off and grate some lemon zest in and half the juice, add about an eighth of the red onion and a small handful of chopped parsley. 
- Put back on auto and let everything combine. This is where you need to taste it and see if you need to add anything; if you find it too smoky or too oniony add some more oil but remember to do so while its on auto. I love the onion so tend to keep topping that up along with the lemon zest as I find it more powerful than the juice. 
- Once it is adjusted to your taste put in a bowl, crack some black pepper over the top and serve with toasted bread and crudites. 

You don't have to stick to my recipe, over time I've tried all sorts of things but this is my favorite way to make it. But, for example some people put bread into theirs (this is why I can't get it in the shops) which changes the texture and bulks it up, or some people prefer to use garlic over onion- the choice is yours, get creative!

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