Cod Fish With Garlic Bread Spread a.k.a Skordalia

Cod Fish with garlic bread spread a.k.a Skordalia

Recipe by Mommy's Kitchen

By the time you get through my blog you will be able to order at any Greek Restaurant or Tavern.

Us Greeks love skordalia !! After having this dish, just make sure you have mints or cinammon gum with you. 

A dish that you will find at any local tavern in Greece and you must be a garlic lover.

When buying salted cod fish you have to cut it up and place it water for 3 days and  change the water twice a day. Cod fish has plenty of salt on it so it has to be removed before cooking. If you buy frozen like I did, take it out about an hour before you cook and it will be fine.

Ingredients

• 1 whole cod fish
• 5 garlic cloves
• 3 1/2 pounds potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Himalayan or regular salt to taste
• pepper to taste

                             

Place your cod fish in cold water one hour before cooking. Yes, you read well cold water it thaws out quicker.

This type of knife works great on cutting frozen fish. Place in water it should thaw in about 

1/2 an hour or so.

Peel your potatoes

Cut each potato into 4 or even 6 pieces. When you have cut up alll your potatoes place them in a pot, cover with water and boil for about 20 min. After place your cod fish on top of potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes. Frozen cod fish cooks very fast. Place the cod fish in the pot along with the potatoes. Place pot back on the stove for about 15 - 20 minutes on high.

Take your garlic cloves and peel them, the more the zestier taste ! 

Take a blender add 2 ounces of oil, garlic and boiled potatoes and mix.

When you're done place your mash potatoes in abowl, mash about less than half of what you have boiled.

This is how it should look. If you want to get even more traditional (like my mom)  use a pestle and mortar, that's what she used for the whole process. The garlic is grounded instead of being chopped. I prefer the pestle and mortar but sometimes I'm a bit modern. ;)

Your garlic spread is ready, add fresh lemon, sprinkle with olive oil and serve !!

 My men in the family add plenty of black pepper on the potatoes they like them spicy.

Don't forger your Greek bread ! 

Kale Orexi !!! 

Prep time: 20- 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 50 minutes

Yield: 5 Servings

Linguine with Crab Sauce Spyro's Way

                              

Crab sauce the way my dad loved it. This was a family treat for all of us. As you all know by now, my dad was a picky food lover. He just loved a good meal. I still haven't solved the mystery, for someone who didn't know how to cook, he surely left us with some great recipes that he taught my mom .

Ingredients

• 5 live crabs ( depending on guests)
• 2 large onions
• 2 large tomatoes
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• * Hot Tobasco Sauce  ( Only if you prefer your sauce hot otherwise omit it) 
• 1/2 teasppon of oregano
• 1/2 cup of olive oil. If you prefer you can add a bit more.
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Empty your crabs in a colander under a sink and wash them off.
   

2. Use a tall pot,I used an 8 quart pot. Fill with water almost to the top, let it boil and add your crabs. Boil for about 15 minutes, until your crabs turn red.

3.Take another 8 quart pot place a colander and drain the crabs. Set the water aside for later use. 

1. Dice or cut your onions, tomatoes,and your garlic in a blender
2. 
   
   
3. 
   

3. Add your ingredients in your pot add your olive oil, don't forget to add your oregano, salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes add water and cover. Also add 5 ladles of the crab water you set aside. Set on high heat and let to boil for about 30 minutes or until it simmers.

4.When your sauce is about to simmer add your tomato paste stir and then add your crabs.

Set on medium heat until it becomes a smooth sauce. When they are ready set aside until your linguine is ready.

5. Take the crab water that you have set aside add extra water, bring it to a boil and add your linguine.As the linguine boils add a teaspoon of salt.

Drain your linguine,what I usually do is return them to the pot and butter them with two tablespoons of butter. I have a few chef friends who tell me they never butter the past they just serve it right from the pot because it loses it's flavor, we love to butter them so that's what I do. It's a personal preference.

I returned to the pot and I buttered my linguine.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if you like and serve ! It looks so mouth watering !

You can serve your dish with a nice tall glass of beer !

Now how do you open and eat your crab ? This technique was taught to me by my dad.

Flip your crab over, lift the flap  and insert a flat knife underneath and pop it open.

Remove all the yellowish stuff as seen in the picture below, crack open the sides and that's where all the crab meat is.

Some people cut it down the middle but I find this hard and slippery. Doesn't work for me.

The claws when broken, they too have a bit of crab meat. 

Another recipe from my kitchen to yours . KALE OREXI !!

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 30 mins.
Cook time: 1 hrs. 00 mins.

Total time: 1 hrs. 30 mins.
Yields:  5 servings, it's usually a crab to each dish.
Tags: linguine sauce,spaghetti, crab sauce, red sauce, sauces for crab,Greek food, Greek recipes

Fried Whitebait With Raisins

   
                                                  Fried Whitebait With Raisins


Even if you go to the most distant  tavern in Greece you will find this traditional recipe, it's a first choice for an appetizer or as we say a meze. This was my dad's favorite summer meze and mine too.Whitebait in Greek is pronounced Marides and they are so delicious ! They are eaten whole with the head.

 

Ingredients

1- 2 pounds whitebait (you serve about 8 pieces to a person) 

Whitebait ( shouldn't be longer than 2 inches if they are smaller all the better) 

1 plate of flour

1/2 cup of raisins

1 tablespoon of rosemary

1/2 cup of red Red Vinegar

3- 4 cloves of chopped garlic 

Olive oil 

salt 

lemon 

                                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                           

                            

Use a small knife to take out the intestines, place in a colander and rinse with plenty of water. Let them drain add salt, if you like them spicy add pepper. I prefer them with just salt. When they are ready place them in your plate with flour.

                                 

                                                           

Whitebait in flour

Roll them in the flour and remove any excess flour.

Once you have floured all your whitebait set them aside and get your skillet ready with olive oil

I used two cups of olive oil. Your olive oil should be sizzling hot before you place your whitebait inside the pan.

This is how I layed them in the skillet, some people like to deep fry them. Deep frying  them is easier and faster but I prefer to make them this way. 

I used these small kitchen tongs to turn them.

When done set your oil aside.

Once you have fried all of your whitebait, you are ready to make your raisin sauce. First, place your skillet with the remaining oil on high heat and let it sizzle. Secondly, add your raisins, garlic and rosemary. Cook them for about 20 seconds or until the garlic is slightly browned add your vinegar and pour over your white bait. 

Serve them nice and hot, dip some Greek bread and enjoy !!  This is the gourmet way to serve them.

The picture below is the most common way that they're served. Either way the whitebait is delicious. Don't forget to serve them with a nice chilled glass of dry white wine.  KALE OREXI !!!! 

If you have any questions regarding this or any of my recipes, don't hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear from you. 

                                                 

Fried Garlic Mussels

Tangy Fried mussels

There's no special story to this, it's quick and easy and my kids love it. Takes about 15 minutes to cook. Making my own memories : ) 

Ingredients

1 pound mussels ( I used frozen mussels ) of course you should let them defrost.

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup of vinegar

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2  lemon squeezed

1 tablespoon of parsley

Add your olive oil in the frying pan let it warm up a bit

Then, add your mussels and garlic saute until the garlic gets a bit of color, do not let it burn

then add your vinegar, saute for about 5 minutes

add your lemon and parsley saute for about another 5 minutes

add your salt & pepper  and serve.

This is a great  Hors d'ouevres for get togethers, my friends love it !  It can also  be served as a starter at a restaurant.

A dash of salt and pepper to taste !! KAlE OREXI !! 

A Tiny Delicacy

As soon as we arrived on the  Island of Vidos, just a half mile away from Corfu Town's old port, I found the perfect spot to  lay my beach equipment. As the sun's rays where beaming down into the tranquil crystal clear waters, I took my sharp knife and found my tiny, mouth watering delicacy. Every time I see these little treasures, they take me way back to when I was a child and for a few years was I  raised in Greece, by my grandparents. This delicacy is found in shallow rocky waters. They camouflage themselves making hard on their predators to distinguish them from the rocks but I have been doing this for so long that I can do it with my eyes closed.

 

 

This is the knife that I used to pop them up from the rocks, it's easier when you wait when they breathe. It's said that when you find finger limpets in the water it means that they are clean. 

In order to eat your finger limpets raw you need two. You need the shell of the first to remove the inside of the other. It tastes delicious as you can see I'm a seafood lover.  I guess you can call this Greek Sushi ;) 

This is a recipe that was handed down from my grandmother, to my mother and now to me. Another trial and error dish. 

Ingredients:

1 pound finger limpets1 pound sea snails (the bigger the better)1 thin needle (for snails) 1 package Uncle Ben’s rice½ teaspoon oreganoOlive oil2 garlic pieces1 big Spanish onion1 big tomato2- 3 glasses of waterButterSalt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

First, you boil your finger limpets, they come right out of their shell as soon as the first boil takes place. When done you place in a colander so all the water and sand ( if they have) drips out,  take out all unnecessary shells set aside in a dish.

Secondly, boil your snails – when first two boils occur, leave in pot and take them off the stove place them on a table. Slowly take a few at a time out and with a needle, very carefully take the snail out and place them on a clean plate.  When done set aside until ready to use.

Thirdly, you cut up your tomato, onion and garlic. You sauté your onions, tomato, garlic pieces together with your snails and finger limpets add oregano, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.  

Lastly, add your water and let boil on medium heat. Sauce is ready when it has thickened.

While sauce is boiling you boil your white rice, using a small Greek coffee cup as a measurement, equals 1 serving per person.  (this cup resembles a small mug)  Strain your rice from the water return to pot and add a little butter stir and serve.

When all is ready and cooked place rice in a plate then the savory Sea food sauce on top, mark my words pure heaven. Serve with a gold beer. Makes me hungry just writing about it! KALE  OREXI ( Have a hearty  appetite !)

*** I will have pictures on this when I make it but it accompanied the post ,I just couldn't leave it out.