Lakerda () is a pickled bonito dish eaten as a mezze in the Balkans and Middle East.Diane Kochilas, The Glorious Foods of Greece, 2001, , p. 209 excerpt Lakerda made from one-year-old bonito migrating through the Bosphorus is especially prized.
Name and history Lakerda (λακέρδα) comes from Byzantine Greek lakerta (λακέρτα) 'mackerel', which in turn comes from Latin 'mackerel' or 'horse mackerel'.Andriotis et al., Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής The Turkish word , attested before 1566, is a loan from the Greek.
History Lakerda is very similar to a prized ancient Greek dish, tarikhos horaion 'ripe salted fish' or simply horaion. Other ancient salt bonito preparations were called omotarikhos and kybion.Andrew Dalby, Food in the ancient world from A to Z, 2003, , p. 336 snippet
Lakerda was also a dish in Byzantine cuisine, being widely served in tavernes.
Preparation Steaks of bonito are boned, soaked in brine, then salted and weighted for about a week.Alan Davidson, Mediterranean Seafood, Penguin, 1972. , p. 123 They are then ready to eat, or may be stored in olive oil. Sometimes large mackerel or small tuna are used instead of bonito.
Serving In Greece, lakerda is usually served as a mezze, with sliced onion. Lemon juice and olive oil are common but criticized accompaniments. In Turkey, it is usually served as mezze, with sliced red onion, olive oil and black pepper. It is generally accompanied with rakı.
See also Ceviche Boquerones en vinagre
Notes