Lakerda

Lakerda is a delectable pickled bonito dish, beloved as a mezze in the Balkans and the Middle East. It is especially esteemed when prepared from one-year-old bonito migrating through the Bosphorus. The name "Lakerda" originates from the Byzantine Greek word "lakerta" meaning mackerel, which itself derives from the Latin word "lacerta."

To prepare Lakerda, bonito steaks are deboned, soaked in brine, salted, and then pressed under weight for about a week. The finished product can be enjoyed immediately or preserved in olive oil. Occasionally, large mackerel or small tuna are used as substitutes for bonito.

In Greece, Lakerda is traditionally served as a mezze with sliced onions and often garnished with lemon juice and olive oil—though these additions can be somewhat debated. In Turkey, it is also served as a mezze, typically with sliced red onions, olive oil, and black pepper, often accompanied by rakı.

Interestingly, Lakerda has origins in ancient Greek cuisine, resembling a delicacy known as "tarikhos horaion" which means "ripe salted fish" or simply "horaion." Other ancient salted bonito dishes were known as "omotarikhos" and "kybion."