Skordalia Sauce Recipes

SKORDALIA (GARLIC DIP)

Steps:

• Boil the potato in a small pot of salted water.
• Add the 2 cloves of garlic and sea salt to a blender or food processor, and pulse until it becomes a thick paste. Add more garlic if desired. Squeeze the water from the bread, and drain the potato, reserving some of the cooking water. Add the bread and potato to the garlic paste along with the almonds and half the lemon juice. Process until the mixture is well combined, but still slightly coarse in texture.
• While the processor is running, start to slowly pour the olive oil into the mixture. If it is too thick, add a spoonful of the reserved potato water and continue to add the oil. Once the mixture becomes lighter in color and thinner in texture, stop and taste your creation. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and add a little of the remaining lemon juice. Taste again, and if you are lucky enough to have gotten it just right, put into a bowl or jar and reserve in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• If the skordalia seems unbalanced, use your taste buds to steer you in the right direction. If you want it more pungent, add more garlic. If the garlic flavor is overpowering, add a few drops of lemon juice. Season with more salt. Blend. Taste again. Repeat as many times as needed to get it where you want it. Skordalia needs to taste good to you, not to me.

SKORDALIA (GREEK GARLIC POTATO DIP)

Steps:

• Peel and quarter the potatoes and add to a saucepan with enough cold salted water to cover by 1 inch. Place over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and continue to simmer until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While potatoes are cooking, add garlic and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to a mortar and pestle. Crush into a fine paste and reserve.
• Drain potatoes, reserving some of the cooking water to thin the dip out with later if desired. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher or potato ricer until smooth and lump free. Stir in garlic paste. Add lemon juice and vinegar and stir in with the masher.
• Whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil in 3 or 4 additions. Add cayenne and more salt if needed. Pass dip through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Serve at room temperature, garnished with olive oil and oregano.

SKORTHALIA (SKORDALIA): GREEK GARLIC DIP AND SAUCE

Steps:

• Add the salt to a large pot of water. Peel the potatoes and boil in the salted water until well done and are easily pierced with a fork. Place in a colander to drain.
• Return the potatoes to the pot and sprinkle with pepper and mash to combine.
• In the blender bowl of a food processor (or with a hand mixer ), puree the potatoes and garlic until well mixed, about 30 to 45 seconds. Still pureeing, slowly add the olive oil and vinegar, alternating between them, tasting as you go, until the mixture is smooth. Skorthalia should be creamy and thick. If it gets too thick, add a little cold water (but not more than 1/4 cup).
• Skordalia is a matter of taste, some prefer a mild garlic taste, while others prefer a strong garlic taste. If the taste is too strong, increase the number of potatoes a bit. If the taste is not strong enough, increase the garlic.

SKORDALIA (GARLIC-WALNUT SAUCE)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, soak the bread in 1/2 cup water for 2 minutes. Remove excess water from the bread so that it is wet, but not dripping. Place bread and walnuts in the bowl of a blender or food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Add the garlic, olive oil and salt and process until well blended, scraping down the sides as necessary. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the lemon juice and vinegar. Adjust salt to taste. Serve with bacalao fritters (see recipe).

SKORDALIA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse almonds, garlic, and bread until the almonds are finely ground. With machine running, pour in oil, then lemon juice and 6 tablespoons water. Season with salt and pepper.

SKORDALIA (GARLIC SAUCE FOR ARTICHOKES)

Steps:

• Tear the bread into small pieces. Put bread, garlic, olive oil and 3 tablespoons lemon juice into a mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup water, toss to combine and let stand 20 minutes to soften.
• Transfer the mixture to a food processor, blender or electric mixer, and process until smooth. Add more water by the tablespoonful and blend until a saucy consistency is achieved. Season to taste with salt; add additional lemon juice, if desired.

SKORDALIA (GARLIC SAUCE)

Steps:

• Peel potato and boil until tender. Put through a ricer or sieve. Measure 1/2 cup of potato & put in a bowl; mix in garlic and salt. Gradually add olive oil and vinegar alternately while beating with a spoon. Chill. Serve with meat or fish.