Whipped smoked cod’s roe

Ingredients

• 200-250g smoked cod’s roe
• 60ml light olive oil
• 75-100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 200ml creme fraiche
• White pepper
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

Make a cut along the skin of the roe sac and carefully peel the thin membrane away. It’s a bit like pulling a label from a bottle or finding the end of a roll of sellotape: fiddly, but quicker if you’re patient than if you lose your rag.

Discard the skin and any veins. Spoon the roe into a large bowl and mash with the back of a fork. Add the light olive oil, 1 tbsp at a time, mashing and whipping with the fork until incorporated. Repeat until all the light oil is used, then do the same with 75ml of the extra virgin olive oil. After a while, you will be able to use a wooden spoon or spatula to beat the roe and oil into a smooth paste. Don’t worry too much if it’s a bit flaky.

Spoon the creme fraiche into the roes and incorporate by beating with a wooden spoon or spatula, then use a balloon whisk to whip it a bit more and encourage a light texture. Add a pinch of white pepper, the lemon zest and juice, and whip the mix again.

Finally, add 1-2 tbsp more of olive oil for extra gloss and pepperiness, then whip one last time before decanting to a serving bowl.

Image: Issy Croker