Mojama

Friend & Burrell has recently released a Spanish delicacy of salt cured, air dried tuna loins known as Mojama . The recipe and method for the cured fish was developed centuries ago when the Phoenicians first founded settlement in the Western Mediterranean Sea. The word “Mojama” is derived from the Arabic word for “dry”.

Mojama is made by pressing the tuna in salt for several days. The salt is then removed, the loins cleaned, and placed in the sun and breeze to dry for fifteen to twenty days. The drying process is crucial as the mojama develops its unique flavours from the open air process.

Thinly sliced and drizzled with a little olive oil, mojama is a popular tapas dish in Spain, whilst pictured here is one of the more sophisticated ways chefs are utilising its superb texture and flavour.

Simon Friend says that like the very best examples of Spanish Iberico jamons and Italian prosciuttos, it is critical that the salt is not ever-present on the palate, allowing for a more refined and lasting flavour.