A Moorish Delicacy for the Tapas Plate

Mojama is a Spanish delicacy with history. For more than 600 years, loins of tuna have been salt-cured and air-dried in Andalusia. The Moors who ruled the region until 1492 called it musama.

Thin, ruddy, slightly translucent slices simply traced with olive oil are served as tapas. Mojama is salty but not aggressively so, and has a pleasant chewiness. Pieces can be tossed in a salad, as you would use bacon, and slivers can garnish a pasta dish, as bottarga would.

Dean & DeLuca has it in stock in the store for $44 a pound, or about $1 a slice. Mojama can also be ordered from tienda.com for $18.50 for a half-pound, plus shipping.