Skordalia is the silky Greek garlic and potato dip that turns grilled vegetables, fried fish or warm bread into a feast.
What is skordalia?
The name comes from skordo, the Greek word for garlic, and that tells you most of what you need to know. Skordalia is a thick, sharp purée of garlic, olive oil and an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar.
However, the base changes from home to home. Many cooks use potato, while others use stale bread, and some add walnuts or almonds.
In Greece, skordalia is also the classic partner for fried salt cod. Families serve bakaliaros with skordalia on 25 March and on Palm Sunday, and Athens tavernas queue up customers for it every spring.
Read more: Beef Stifado: A Slow-Simmered Greek Stew With Sweet Whole Shallots
This version comes from John Mitzewich, better known as Chef John, who shared it on Allrecipes. He says it works as a dip for vegetables and bread, and as a side for fried fish and grilled meats.
In his words, it is “as versatile as it is easy to make”. The recipe holds 4.8 out of 5 from five ratings, and four of those are five stars.
Ingredients for eight serves
You need just nine ingredients, and most are already in a Greek pantry. Measures are US, with metric in brackets, and the recipe makes about 500 ml (2 cups) of skordalia.
- 570 g (1¼ pounds) russet potatoes
- 6 cloves garlic, sliced, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste
- juice of half a lemon
- 60 ml (¼ cup) white wine vinegar
- 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil, plus a drizzle to serve
- cayenne pepper, just a pinch
- a pinch of minced fresh oregano
Chef John strongly recommends a russet, although any potato will work. In Australia, a floury variety such as Russet Burbank or King Edward gives a similar fluffy result.
He also prefers a mild, fruity olive oil for this garlic dip, because a very peppery oil can turn bitter when whisked hard.
How to make skordalia at home
Allrecipes lists 20 minutes of preparation, 20 minutes of cooking and a 5-minute rest, so the garlic dip is ready in about 45 minutes.
- First, peel and quarter the potatoes, then cover them by 2.5 cm (1 inch) with cold salted water.
- Bring the pot to a simmer over medium-high heat, then lower it to medium and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but not falling apart.
- While they cook, crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar and pestle until you have a fine paste.
- Drain the potatoes, keeping a cup of the cooking water, and let them sit for 5 minutes.
- Mash them in a bowl, or press them through a ricer, until smooth.
Next comes the part that gives skordalia its punch.
- Stir in the garlic paste, then the lemon juice and vinegar.
- Whisk in the olive oil in three or four additions.
- Season with the cayenne and more salt if needed.
- Finally, press the dip through a mesh strainer for a silky finish.
Serve the skordalia at room temperature with a drizzle of olive oil and a little oregano on top. If it feels too stiff, loosen it with a splash of the reserved cooking water.
Chef John adds that fresh herbs such as parsley or chives, or a pinch of dried oregano, also suit it.
Tips from home cooks
Only two reviews sit under this recipe, but both are useful. Jonathan Eby spread it on coal-roasted vegetables and wrote: “Love the bright lemon and garlic flavor.”
Still, he felt the potato weight was too high, since Chef John seems to use one large potato in his video. His skordalia came out with a strong mashed potato flavour, so next time he plans to use a single, slightly bigger potato.
Tina used a little more garlic and served the garlic dip with oven-roasted capsicum and zucchini. She called it “Perfect amount to feed two people a wonderful vegan dinner.”
Another cook, patmac, loved the result but wrote: “I’d hold back on the vinegar just a little”. So taste as you go, since garlic and vinegar both vary in strength.
A good rule is to start with less garlic, then add more once the oil is in. Raw garlic grows stronger as the dip rests, so a dip made ahead will taste sharper the next day.
Pair it with crisp fried fish, boiled beetroot or a plate of grilled vegetables. For more spreads, see our list of must-try spreads and the smoky melitzanosalata.
You can find the full skordalia recipe and Chef John’s video on the original Allrecipes page.
Source: Allrecipes
