Whipped cod’s roe

Grawn penfras wedi’i chwisgio Wonderful as part of a mezzetype spread, this is our version of a taramasalata and inf i nitely better than anything you can buy ready-made. You can fi nd smoked cod’s roe online if your local fi shmonger doesn’t supply it. It is naturally very salty, so you may wish to adjust the amount of lemon juice or add a little more water if you prefer a thinner consistency. As an optional extra, this is excellent served with grated cured egg yolk (here) on top for added fl avour.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Put the bread into a large bowl and pour over the milk. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to split the roe skin down the length of the roe, then use a spoon to scoop out the roe into a food processor. Squeeze out the excess milk from the bread (save the milk for bread sauce or another dish) and add the bread to the processor together with the garlic.

Step 3

Combine the oils in a large jug and measure the water into a smaller jug.

Step 4

Blitz the roe, bread and garlic together, then with the motor running at medium speed, very slowly pour a quarter of the oils and then a quarter of the water until they are incorporated. Repeat slowly adding the remaining oil and water until both are used up.

Step 5

Generously season the mixture with pepper, then add the lemon juice and crème fraîche. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and blitz again to combine. Taste the mixture and add more lemon juice if you prefer, or a splash more water if you are aiming for a thinner consistency. Transfer the whipped roe to a serving bowl and ripple a spoon over the top. Drizzle with more olive oil and sprinkle over the cayenne. Serve with the crudités, pitta bread and lemon wedges.

Step 6

Note Alternating water and oil to the mixture will stabilise it as it mixes, as well as creating a light texture for this classic dip. When making this in a small food processor, we found that the bread can sometimes clump together. If that happens, remove the lid and scrape down the sides and base with a spatula.