← Nouns Cooking · Greek

Ingredients

• 700 g thick salt cod fillets, cut into large pieces
• 150 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 250 ml ice-cold sparkling water
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 l sunflower oil, for deep-frying
• 800 g floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 cloves Garlic, crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
• 120 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 1 lemon, in wedges

Method

1. A day or two ahead, soak the salt cod in a big bowl of cold water in the fridge for at least 24 hours, changing the water 3–4 times. Taste a flake: it should be pleasantly seasoned, not harsh. Remove skin and bones and pat dry.
2. For the skordalia, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15–20 min until very soft. Drain, keeping a cup of the water, and mash or rice them while hot (never use a blender, or they turn gluey).
3. Beat in the garlic, then the olive oil and vinegar little by little, adding splashes of the cooking water until smooth and creamy. Season and set aside.
4. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk in the cold sparkling water until you have a batter like thick cream. Rest for 10 min.
5. Heat the frying oil in a deep pan to 180°C (350°F). Dust the cod pieces in flour, dip them in the batter and fry a few at a time for 4–5 min, turning once, until puffed and deep golden.
6. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with the skordalia, lemon wedges and a beetroot or green salad.

Tips

• Never leave hot oil unattended, and keep a lid nearby in case it catches.
• No salt cod? Use fresh cod sprinkled with salt and left for 30 min, then rinsed and dried.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Dimitras Dishes My Greek Dish