Skordalia Garlic and Potato Dip
Skordalia is a beautiful Greek-style garlic dip that has a thick base of either day-old bread or mashed potatoes. This easy skordalia recipe is made of mashed potatoes and flavored with garlic, crushed almonds, and lemon juice. Extra virgin olive oil is the way to whip it all together into a smooth, tantalizing dip that you can serve chilled or at room temperature--as a starter to a tasty Greek meal or a side next to fish or even grilled souvlaki.
Ingredients
- 1 lb gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- kosher salt
- 3 ounces blanched almonds or shelled walnuts
- 3 to 6 garlic cloves or roasted garlic see cook's tip #2 below
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup Greek extra virgin olive oil I use either Private Reserve or Early Harvest EVOO, more for later
- 1 green onion trimmed and thinly sliced, for garnish
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- Zest of 1 lemon for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare and cook the potatoes. Place cubed potatoes in a big colander and rinse with cold water until the water is clear (see cook's tip #1). Transfer to a saucepan and add water to cover the potatoes by at least 2 inches. Salt the water well. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are well cooked through (test by inserting a knife, it should break the potatoes with no resistance). Drain the potatoes in the same colander and rinse again, this time with hot water, for 30 seconds. Set the potatoes aside for 5 to 7 minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate.
- Make the garlic and almond paste. While potatoes are cooling, combine almonds, garlic, large pinch of kosher salt, and lemon juice in the small bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade. Run processor until the garlic and almonds turn into a paste (as smooth as you can get it).
- Mash the potatoes. Using a potato masher or a food mill (do not use food processor), mash the potatoes thoroughly.
- Combine mashed potatoes with extra virgin olive oil and garlic-almond paste. To the mashed potatoes, add about 1/2 of the olive oil, a little bit at a time, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and almond paste and mix well. Then add the remaining olive oil, again a little bit at a time, mixing well with your wooden spoon. Taste and add more kosher salt if needed. Mix well to combine. (At this point, if you're not serving the skordalia, you can let it cool then chill in the fridge until later).
Video
Notes
Cook's Tip #1: Make sure to rinse the potatoes with water before and after boiling, this will help remove surface starch and reduce the gumminess of the mashed potatoes.
Cook's Tip #2: Skordalia is meant to be very garlicy using about 6 garlic cloves or so. Blending the garlic with the acid helps reduce its its pungency, while keeping the flavor. But if you're unsure about using this much garlic to start, you can use less (it won't be the same). You can also use roasted garlic, which is milder and sweeter. Once you chill skordalia, the flavors will settle some more and intensify.
Cook's Tip #2: Skordalia is meant to be very garlicy using about 6 garlic cloves or so. Blending the garlic with the acid helps reduce its its pungency, while keeping the flavor. But if you're unsure about using this much garlic to start, you can use less (it won't be the same). You can also use roasted garlic, which is milder and sweeter. Once you chill skordalia, the flavors will settle some more and intensify.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!