Skordalia is a traditional Greek dish made with garlic and a starchy ingredient, such as potatoes or bread, to give it a thick texture. It is often served as a side dish or condiment with seafood, vegetables, or meat entrees. Olive oil is added to make it smoother.
Skordalia is a dish made mostly of softened garlic cloves. Garlic is usually combined with a starchy ingredient, which acts as a binder to give it a thick texture. Skordalia is a traditional food in Greek cuisine and is often served as a side dish or condiment. The dish has a strong, pungent flavor that is often paired with more delicate foods.
The process of making skordalia usually begins with breaking the garlic cloves. In order for the garlic to be distributed evenly throughout the dish, it is generally worked into a paste rather than chopping the cloves into thin pieces. Garlic is typically sprinkled with salt, which helps soften it and make it more pliable. It can then be smashed with the flat blade of a knife or a mortar and pestle.
Once the garlic is made into a soft paste, most recipes generally call for a starchy thickener. One of the most common foods used for the dish is potatoes. The potatoes are boiled to make them soft enough to mix with the garlic. A common alternative to using potatoes to bind the mixture is crusty or stale bread. To make the bread pliable enough to form a soft mixture with the garlic paste, the bread cubes are moistened with liquid, such as water, milk, or broth. Some recipes may also call for peanuts, such as walnuts, almonds or pine nuts, but this tends not to be as common as potatoes or bread.
After the garlic and thickening agent are combined, the mixture is usually extremely thick and may not be pliable enough to consume as a condiment. To make the dish easier to handle and eat, it is usually combined with olive oil to make it smoother. The exact amount of olive oil required may depend on the specific recipe or the cook’s personal preference for the texture of the dish.
One of the most common uses for the dish is as a condiment for Greek foods. It is traditionally served alongside seafood, especially fried or poached fish, and used as a dip. The dip can also be eaten with fried or boiled vegetables, such as eggplant, zucchini, or beets. Skordalia can be served as a side dish with meat entrees such as grilled or roasted lamb, chicken, pork or beef. While less common, the garlic concoction can also be served as a main course, rather than a condiment or accompaniment.
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