Smoked Cod Roe

Our answer

We understand that sometimes smoked cod's roe can be a little bitter when used in taramasalata. Some people suggest this is caused by the membrane on the roe, which should be removed completely. Also if you have used olive oil in the taramasalata this can cause the roe to taste a little odd, particularly if it a very "grassy" olive oil.

If the taramasalata is too bitter then you would probably need to add extra breadcrumbs and also oil. And use a flavourless vegetable oil rather than olive oil. If you have not yet made the taramasalata then you could try soaking the roe in milk, as sometimes people soak livers in milk to reduce bitterness. However we have not tried this so we cannot vouch for its effectiveness.