Taramasalata, Homemade

You can buy this anywhere, but somehow there is always a slightly artificial flavour to it ... I made this tonight, and it's not too bad. Because Zaar's computer prefers definitive quantities, please see extra notes below. It actually needs a night in the fridge, but I didn't have the time to do that. It will not have the bright pink appearance of the supermarket taramasalata ... and I'm not going to add artificial colour!! Also, this recipe needs to be tasted, and adjusted: I bow to Zaar's computer which wants definite quantities, but the answer is still to taste and adjust. I dislike using potatoes, which gives tarama (to my taste) a rather glutinous taste.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1  cup  fresh white breadcrumbs or 1  cup  brown bread
• 7  ounces codfish roe, tinned (weight approx.)
• 3  ounces sweet onions, chopped roughly
• 1⁄4 teaspoon liquid smoke, concentrated (optional)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  finely chopped garlic
• 3  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt (to taste)

Directions

1. The computer is at it again. I said "pressed cod roe", because that's what it says on the tin, but it "doesn't recognise" it. It's a firmly compressed, canned, light pink cod roe. So what you need is about 7oz/200g canned cod roe.
2. Whirl 2 slices of bread in a processor or blender. I used brown bread, because that's all I had available. Remove and measure 1 cup.
3. The usual tin of "pressed cod roe" is solid, so break it up and add to processor. Add bread. Whizz. It will be stiff, so just mix quickly and stop.
4. I simply cut 1/3 off a sweet onion and weighed it for Zaar's purposes. You can use any small onion you have available.
5. Add the chopped onion, Liquid Smoke, garlic, lemon juice and salt, and whizz again until well mixed.
6. Add 2 tablespoons oil first, and see what the texture is like, then add the extra tablespoon.
7. *NOTES: We get a highly concentrated hickory smoke "liquid smoke" in a bottle (quite natural, would you believe). It's handy to give that hint of smoke, as I've never been able to find "smoked cod's roe" as some recipes prescribe. If you can't find it, just leave it out.
8. Also, most recipes use less roe and much more olive oil and bread, but somehow that would never have worked here. As it is, this taramasalata was still fairly soft after 2 hours in the fridge. I think leaving it overnight would be best: it will firm, and the flavours will mix.
9. I kept thinking that lime juice would have been perfect, just a little less than specified, but I didn't have limes.
10. Your mixture will probably need more salt. In the end I added more than stated above.