Fish Roe Dip Salad Recipe (Romanian Salata De Icre)
This fish roe dip salad (salata de icre) tastes amazing and I make it quite often. It makes an incredible appetizer served as finger food that we enjoy especially in festive holidays like New Years Eve or Christmas / Easter celebrations.
It can be made simple or upgraded with soaked bread or semolina pudding for increased quantity and a more delicate taste. This recipe uses semolina pudding as it has my favorite taste and texture.
This fish roe spread is widely cooked in Mediterranean and Eastern Europe cuisine. The Greeks call it “taramosalata” and it’s very popular and appreciated during holidays by locals and tourists as well.
What exactly is fish roe?
For those who do not know, fish roe means the unfertilized eggs of a female fish. They are very nutritious for our body being loaded with protein, omega 3 fatty acids, minerals and vitamins.
🍋 Ingredients Needed
For this fish roe recipe we are going to need:
- Salted fish roe (trout, herring, carp, mackerel, cod – whatever you have)
- Vegetable oil (neutral)
- Semolina flower
- Lemon juice
- Sparkling water
- Onion (red or yellow)
Important! I used salted fish roe from the fish market. If you have fresh fish roe, add salt as you mix it and season to your personal taste.
If you happen to have more quantity of fish roe, salt it heavily and keep it into a closed jar in the fridge up to a month – as the salt maintains those fish eggs well.
🥣 How To Make It
1. Make the semolina pudding
In a small saucepan put some water to boil. When it reaches the boiling point lower the heat and start adding semolina flower in fine strands while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps.
Whisk continuously as it will continue to cook and absorb the water and will tend to stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
Cook for 7-10 minutes then set aside and let it cool.
2. Work the fish roe
Place the fish roe into a bawl and start mixing with a hand mixer. Add the oil in fine streams just like when making mayonnaise. Alternate with adding a little sparkling water and lemon juice as the fish roe dip starts increasing in volume.
Start adding bits of semolina pudding (already cooled off) to thicken the dip’s texture. Continue mixing adding as much semolina pudding, lemon juice and water as you like for your personal taste.
There is nothing fixed here, we may not need the whole pudding depending on the fish roe intensity of flavor and saltiness.
3. Add chopped onion
Finish this fish roe salad dip by adding some finely chopped onion. This will give incredible flavor as it pairs really well with fish roe.
Mix well to incorporate the onion and transfer to a serving bawl.
🥖 Serve
Spread this fish roe dip on slices of bread, baguette, chips or salted biscuits and top with cucumbers, radishes, bell peppers or olives.
Garnish with fresh dill for more freshness. Serve whenever in the mood, or as mini crostini appetizers finger food to impress your guests.
Keep it covered in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended as it will lose texture.
More dips ideas for you:
- White Bean Dip (tomato onion topping)
- Eggplant Dip (smoky, delicious flavor)
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Fish Roe Dip Salad Recipe (Romanian Salata De Icre)
Ingredients
- 3.5 oz (100gr) salted fish roe
- 2/3 cup (150ml) neutral vegetable oil (as needed)
- 1/2 cup (100ml) sparkling water (as needed)
- lemon juice from 1/2 lemon (+ or - to taste)
- 1 small red onion (finely chopped)
for semolina pudding
- 4-5 tbsp semolina
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Make the semolina pudding. Bring water to a boil and add 4 really full tablespoons semolina flower whisking continuously as it cooks and thickens to avoid lumps. Cook for about 7-10 minutes whisking often as it might stick to the bottom of the pan, then set aside to cool.
- In a large enough bawl, mix the fish roe for a couple of minutes then start adding the oil carefully, little by little. The fish roe will start to change color and lighten up. It will also increase in volume as it absorbs the oil. Continue adding 3/4 of the oil, then start alternating the oil with drops of lemon juice for acidity and sparkling water for fluffiness.Continue with the rest of the oil, taste and adjust the acidity. Start adding bits of semolina pudding and incorporate them mixing well. It's not necessary to add all the pudding, just add in batches and taste. We do not want to dilute the specific fish taste too much.
- When everything tastes perfectly for you, add the very finely chopped onion and incorporate it well. Transfer to a serving bawl and decorate with olives, cucumber slices, radishes and fresh dill as it pairs perfectly here. Spread on crusty bread slices and enjoy!
