Skordalia

Skordalia (center) with hummus, vegetables and pita

Skordalia or skordhalia/skorthalia (σκορδαλιά [skorða'ʎa]; in Greek also called αλιάδα) is a thick puree (or sauce/dip/spread/etc.) in Greek cuisine made by combining crushed garlic with a bulky base—which may be a purée of potatoes, walnuts, almonds, or liquid-soaked stale bread—and then beating in olive oil to make a smooth emulsion. Vinegar is often added. Variants may include eggs as an emulsifier and omitting or reducing the bulk ingredient, which makes for a result similar to the Provençal aïoli, Catalan allioli, and so on. In the Ionian Islands cod stock, and lemon instead of vinegar is usually added, and Skordalia is eaten as a main dish.

Skordalia is usually served with batter-fried fish (notably salt cod, μπακαλιάρος), fried vegetables (notably eggplant and zucchini), poached fish, or boiled vegetables (notably beets). It is sometimes used as a dip.

Skordalia is the modern equivalent of ancient skorothalmi.^[1] The name, on the other hand, may be pleonastic compound of Greek σκόρδο ['skorðo] 'garlic' and Italian agliata [a'ʎata] 'garlicky'.^[2]

Notes

1. ^ Oxford Companion to Food, s.v. "Greek cuisine" and "Skordhalia".
2. ^ Babiniotis, Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας