Bread Skordalia Garlic Dip Food

SKORDALIA: GREEK GARLIC MASHED POTATO DIP

Steps:

• 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.
• 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).
• Using a potato masher or a food mill (do not use food processor), mash the potatoes thoroughly.
• 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).
• Transfer the mashed potato dip into a serving bowl or dish. Add a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and top with chopped green onions, parsley and lemon zest. Serve at room temperature or chilled (if you had chilled it before adding garnish).

TRADITIONAL GREEK SKORDALIA (GARLIC AND POTATO DIP)

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes cut in cubes and boil in water until soft, about 15 -20 minutes
• Once boiled, strain and mix with a hand mixer or potato masher until somewhat smooth.
• In a food processor process the garlic cloves with a bit of salt, and a few drops of olive oil until it is a paste.
• Add ½ of the olive oil in the food processor and continue mixing.
• Add the garlic paste to the potato and mix with a wooden spoon.
• Add the rest of the olive oil gradually, in a steady stream mixing until oil is absorbed.
• Add a bit of red wine vinegar for taste, mix well.

OLIVE OIL DIP FOR ITALIAN BREAD

Steps:

• Pour the olive oil onto a salad plate. Use a garlic press to press the garlic cloves onto five different spots on the plate. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar over the oil and garlic. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and oregano. Season with black pepper.

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 POTATO AND GARLIC DIP)

Steps:

• Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 inches and season generously with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool slightly.
• Rub the skins off the potatoes and discard them. Coarsely chop the potatoes and puree them through a food mill or ricer into a medium bowl.
• Meanwhile, on a cutting board, lightly sprinkle the garlic with a generous pinch of the salt and smash it into a fine paste with the side of a cook's knife.
• In a food processor, combine the garlic, almonds, and oil and puree into a paste. Mix the oil mixture into the potatoes until incorporated; then mix in the 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon salt, water, lemon juice, and vinegar and season with pepper, to taste. Serve.

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.

SKORDALIA WITH BREAD (GARLIC DIP)

Steps:

• Remove the crusts from bread and soak in water.
• Peel garlic cloves, remove sprout if exists and crush them.
• Squeeze the water out of the bread.
• Put bread, crushed garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and salt in a mixer.
• Blend, while adding the oil drop by drop, until the mixture becomes smooth.

SKORDALIA-GARLIC DIP

Steps:

• Mix and blend all ingredients; until very smooth.
• If desired add more oil and vinegar to taste.
• Also, add salt as needed.
• Chill for a few hours, and serve cold with pita breads.