Lakerda is not cooked; thick slices of large bonito or torik mature in dry salt. Two details determine the result: slice thickness and removing all the blood. Thin slices dry out in the salt, while fish that is not fully bled can turn bitter. To serve, add only olive oil and onion.
Cut off the head and tail of the thawed fish and remove the innards. Slice the body crosswise, including the bones, into 4 cm-thick pieces. This thickness is essential: thin slices dry out in the salt and the flesh turns papery.
Use a toothpick or thin skewer to push out the dark blood clots from the spinal canal in each slice. Place the slices in ice water made with ice and water and refrigerate, changing the water twice. The blood is fully removed when the water runs clear.
Drain the slices and dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Spread a finger-width layer of rock salt in a glass container. Arrange the slices in a single layer and completely cover the spaces between and above them with salt. Any exposed surface is where spoilage begins.
Close the container and refrigerate it. Once cured, remove the slices and shake off the excess salt. Separate the flesh from the bones and skin and arrange it on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with finely sliced onion and lemon.
Fish that is salted and eaten raw can carry parasites: freeze the slices at −20°C / -4°F for at least 7 days before salting, then thaw them before use. Cure in the refrigerator for 4–5 days; before then, the fish in the jar is still raw and soft. Store finished lakerda in the refrigerator for no more than 2 weeks.
Kanı akıtma adımı en önemlisi. Buzlu suda bir gün beklettim ve hiç balık kokusu kalmadı, tuzlamayı da acele etmeyin. Kavanoza alırken zeytinyağını balığın üstünü tamamen örtecek kadar koyun, açıkta kalan dilimler kararıp bozuldu.
Kan akıtma gerçekten en kritik adım. Tuzlama süresi de balığın kalınlığına göre değişiyor, kalın torikte üç güne kadar çıkabiliyor.
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