Greek skordalia: A versatile dip to transform your dishes

Greek cuisine doesn't have to be enjoyed only on holidays. You can easily re-create moussaka or souvlaki at home. Similarly, you can make skordalia, an intensely flavoured, thick paste. This dip is made from garlic and won't end with just using two cloves.

Skordalia can be eaten as a dip, sandwich spread, or wet marinade. It tastes excellent as a cold appetiser - just serve it with pieces of pita bread, Kalamata olives, or other vegetables cut into sticks. It also pairs well with main dishes, enhancing the flavour of meats, including the lamb that's popular in Greek cuisine. Grilled vegetables can be spread with and marinated in this garlic dip and subjected to further heat treatment. A lot depends on the exact list of ingredients, as skordalia varies in this respect depending on the region.

The main ingredient that makes skordalia so unique and famous in Greek cuisine is garlic. Peeled cloves are ground to a fairly smooth consistency and combined with base products. This can be mashed potatoes, crushed almonds or walnuts. In rural areas, crumbled bread was also the base. Thoroughly mix everything with olive oil - using a mixer or a round, wooden pestle. Salt and pepper suffice for seasoning, but nutmeg can also work. Some recipes also include white wine vinegar or egg yolks - this version is reminiscent of aioli sauce. Historically, especially on islands rather than the mainland, a broth made from cod with added lemon was used instead of vinegar. It is often served with fried fish.

The preparation is not complicated, but due to the processing of garlic, it can be a bit time-consuming. It's best to start with the version made with cooked potatoes and serve skordalia like mashed potatoes. To reduce the intensity of the flavour, you can use roasted garlic - it won't be as sharp as raw.

Ingredients:

• 450 grams of potatoes,
• 8 cloves of garlic,
• 1 lemon,
• 150 millilitres of olive oil,
• salt.

Preparation:

1. Peel the potatoes and cook them in salted water. It's best to place them in boiling water so they will retain maximum flavour and not lose vitamins.
2. Peel the garlic, chop it, and then crush it with a knife's edge on a wooden board.
3. Transfer to a mortar and add the juice squeezed from the lemon.
4. Grind to a smooth consistency, and then combine with the olive oil.
5. Press the potatoes through a press and combine with the garlic mixture. Serve at room temperature.