Cod and skordalia (Μπακαλιάρος και σκορδαλιά)

As Greeks, this is a meal we always enjoy on March 25th, the day of Greek Independence and the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. It is a delicious combination of salt cod, lightly floured and then fried, served with a side of very garlicky, and tangy mashed potatoes.

Cod and skordalia (Μπακαλιάρος και σκορδαλιά)

I like to think of this meal as the Greek version of fish and chips! This easy preparation of the cod, referred to as bakaliaro, is just one of the ways we enjoy this mild flavoured white fish. Other ways I enjoy salt cod is by baking it in a tomato sauce when I make cod with eggplant and potatoes. Fresh cod is also great, and can be used to make cod potato cakes and herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes.

This recipe for salt cod with garlic mash potatoes, referred to as bakaliaro me skordalia is a recipe that Greeks everywhere enjoy on March 25th. You can read more about that later on in this post…but now…let’s get to the recipe!

Why you will love this recipe

There is no doubt in my mind that you will love this recipe! The cod is light and flaky, and cooks up really quickly with a light flour coating. There is not thick batter that often makes fried fish greasy.

You will also love the skordalia! This is unlike anything you have ever eaten before – it is so full of flavour. You can also take a look at the post which we have devoted to skordalia, in case you want to make it on its own sometime.

Key ingredients

For the cod

Salt cod This is cod which has been preserved by drying after salting. It is used in various cuisines because of its convenience and availability, even in areas where fresh fish is difficult to obtain.

Flour A light coating of all purpose flour creates a light crust once you fry the cod.

Pepper The only seasoning you need is a touch of pepper; remember not to use salt because the salted cod, even if soaked, will remain a little salty.

Vegetable oil I use vegetable oil to fry the cod because it is mild flavoured and has a high smoke point.

For the skordalia

Potatoes Any potatoes will do, but I like to use Yukon gold potatoes. They are creamy and slightly sweet. They also mash really well.

Garlic If you can find locally grown garlic, that is best. Try to find bulbs which are fragrant and firm.

Red wine vinegar This is a key ingredient in skordalia. I like to use red wine vinegar because it has a distinctive and delicious tangy flavour.

Vegetable oil A mild flavoured oil that will add fluffiness and lightness to your garlic potato mash.

Salt Highlights all the other flavours. Add as much salt as you like, to taste.

How to make it

Preparation

  • Cut the dry cod in serving size pieces, keeping each piece relatively equal to the other.  The dry, salted cod must be soaked in cool water, and kept in the refrigerator for 24 – 48 hours.  The water must be changed at least daily.

Instructions for the cod

Step 1
Remove the cod from the water and dry well with paper towels. Season all sides with pepper and coat lightly with flour.

Step 2
Add the vegetable oil to a frying pan so that it is at least one inch deep.  Heat the oil and when it is hot enough so that something sizzles when it is placed in the oil, add the cod.  Fry the cod over medium heat, flipping it as required, until it is golden brown on all sides and cooked through.  This should take about 15 minutes total.

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Step 3
As the cod cooks, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess oil.

Instructions for the garlic mashed potatoes

Step 1
Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add 3/4 teaspoon salt and when the water is boiling add the potatoes.  Boil until they are mash-able, approximately 15 minutes (this will depend upon the size of your potato chunks).

Step 2
While the potatoes are boiling, prepare your garlic.  Peel the garlic, cut each clove in half, and check each clove for any green parts and remove them.  Then combine the garlic with 1 teaspoon of salt.  Place the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle and turn it into a paste. If you do not have a mortar and pestle you can use a micro-grater or garlic press to prepare your garlic and then mix it together with the salt.

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Step 3
When the potatoes have boiled, mash them.  If you need to add liquid in order to make them creamier and easier to mash, add 1/4 cup of the water that they were boiled in. Allow to cool.

Step 4
In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cooled mashed potatoes,  garlic paste, red wine vinegar and vegetable oil.  Whisk together for 3 – 5 minutes on medium speed until all of the ingredients are well combined.

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Recipe tips and helpful hints

Plan ahead

Since the cod which is used in this recipe is dried and salted, you need some advance planning.  The fish must be soaked for at least 24 hours before it can be prepared, which means if you are reading this post on the day you are hoping to enjoy it, you may be out of luck! Don’t worry however, I do offer you an option using fresh cod in the Recipe substitutions section.

Purchasing salt cod

The cod which is used in this recipe is boneless, dry, salted cod, without the skin.   It is quite readily available in Mediterranean grocery stores, large supermarkets or a well stocked fishmonger.  Because the fish is preserved in salt, it keeps for a long time.  Our parents like to stock up and often keep extras in the refrigerator, in their original packaging.  Despite the fact that in theory, salt cod does not need refrigeration, it doesn’t hurt to be extra careful.  In any case, the salt which preserves the fish also makes it very, very salty (duh).  Therefore, before you even think about cooking your cod, you have to rinse it to remove all the excess surface salt, and then soak it in a bowl of cold water for at least 24 hours (and potentially up to 72 hours), depending upon the size of your fish.

Cut your cod before soaking

Prior to soaking your cod you should cut it into serving size pieces, trying to keep them all relatively equal in order to standardize the cooking time.  Rinse each piece and place them in a large bowl and cover them with water.  Store the soaking fish in the refrigerator.  Change the water at least twice a day, and more often if possible.  You will notice that your cod will look somewhat larger after it has soaked for a while. This is expected since your fish is being rehydrated.  Take a look at the cod pieces in our photos – these pieces were soaked for approximately 36 hours and were perfectly delicious.

Prepare your garlic

The skordalia, which is a perfect partner for the fried cod has, as a key ingredient, garlic.  A lot of garlic.  Our parents suggest removing the green part of the garlic clove which is sometimes present.  They carefully slice each garlic clove in half to check if that green thing (what is that thing?!) is there, and if so, remove it.  Not doing so will give your skordalia an off colour.

Use a mortar and pestle to crush your garlic

The cloves of garlic used in the skordalia are combined with some salt and crushed together using a mortar and pestle.  The mortar and pestle our parents use is ancient; it is at least as old as each of us.  Okay…so not exactly ancient!  Not even that old actually.  Listen, that mortar and pestle is in the prime of it’s life!

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Cool your potatoes

Speaking of colour, they also suggest that it is important to allow the potatoes to cool somewhat before assembling your skordalia.  They spoke in horror about the time, one fine morning, that they woke up to find that the skordalia they had made the evening before had turned a bizarre green colour.  Into the garbage it went. They are convinced that this was either due to an errant green garlic thing they had failed to notice, or, hot potatoes.  Who knows… but since paying attention to both of these details, their skordalia is always a pretty bland beige.  Perfect.

Recipe variations

You can make this meal gluten free by coating your cod with gluten-free flour.

You can also create a batter to coat your fish with. Simply combine the flour with water (or beer) until you attain a batter that will coat the back of a spoon. The amount of liquid you add will depend on the flour you use.

Recipe substitutions

Use fresh cod instead of salted cod

If you use fresh cod you can follow the recipe as described, but you will not need to soak the cod. The other difference is that you should season you fish with salt and pepper, not just pepper, prior to frying it.

Use olive oil instead of vegetable oil in the skordalia

For a deeper colour and flavour you can use olive oil instead of vegetable oil when making your skordalia. You can also use a combination of the two for the best of both worlds.

How to serve

Bakaliaro and skordalia is traditionally served along with a beet salad; you can choose to top it with crumbled feta or not – it is delicious either way. Another very typical side is dandelion greens or horta. Add a bowl of marinated olives, and have a very special Greek feast!

Frequently asked questions for salt cod and garlic mash potatoes

What can I use if I don’t have a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic?

If you don’t have a mortar and pestle (which is ideal), you can use a garlic press to mince the garlic.  Alternatively, you can try to meticulously chop the garlic cloves into very fine pieces or you can use a microplane grater to grate it finely.  The key is that you want the garlic to be mixed evenly throughout the potato mixture, without actually having pieces of garlic to chew on.

Why is my skordalia not garlicky enough?

The garlic mashed potatoes are really meant to be very garlicky. If you used a whole head of garlic as the recipe says too, and it is still not very pronounced with garlic flavour, it could be that your garlic was too mild. Simply add in more crushed garlic and mix well.

Why this recipe is special

Every day is a blessing, but some days have particular significance and meaning.  For Greeks, March 25th is one of those special days, as it represents two very important events, one religious and the other, political.  The former is the Annunciation of the Theotokos.  On this day, we commemorate the message which the Virgin Mary received from the Archangel Gabriel informing her that she was chosen, amongst all women, to be the Mother of Jesus Christ.  March 25th therefore holds sacred religious meaning.  At the same time, it’s political significance commemorates Greek Independence Day. It is commonly understood that it was on March 25, 1821 that Metropolitan (Bishop) Germanos spearheaded the revolution which would ultimately lead to independence for all Greeks from the Ottoman rule which had oppressed them for nearly 400 years. Both of these events are commemorated with a National holiday in Greece. Such a day of celebration allows for the strict Lent which many follow in these days preceding Easter to be lifted, and eating fish is permitted.

And not just any fish.  Traditionally, cod (bakaliaro) is served, along with a side of skordalia; essentially a mashed potato spread with a serious kick of garlic.  Both the cod and skordalia are delicious on their own, but combined, they are incredible. The creamy skordalia complements the crispy fried fish perfectly.  Think of it as British fish and chips, Greek style.

Cod potato cakes If you have some leftover cod, these potato cakes are the perfect answer! Of course, they are so good, they are worth making cod for!

Cod with eggplant and potatoes A great recipe for salt cod – this is perfect with lots of fresh bread to sop up the sauces.

Herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes Elegant, but so easy! This is a meal that is fancy enough for entertaining, but easy enough for every day.

Incredibly flavourful fish cakes made with cod, potato and lots of fresh herbs.
Greek style fish and chips...with eggplant and zucchini.
Fresh herb baked cod with pasta and marinated artichokes is an easy and elegant meal.

Cod and skordalia (Μπακαλιάρος και σκορδαλιά)

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A traditional Greek meal of salt cod with garlic mash potatoes: Bakaliaro with skordalia

Cod and Skordalia (Potato Garlic Puree)

A traditional Greek meal of salt cod with garlic mash potatoes: Bakaliaro with skordalia
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Soaking time: 2 days
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 673kcal
Author: miakouppa

Ingredients

For the cod:

  • 1/2 kg boneless, dry salted cod
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • vegetable oil, for frying

For the skordalia:

  • 5 medium sized potatoes (about 2 lbs) we like to use red skin, or yellow flesh potatoes
  • 1 ¾ teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 medium head of garlic
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

For the cod:

  • Cut the dry cod in serving size pieces, keeping each piece relatively equal to the other.  The dry, salted cod must be soaked in cool water, and kept in the refrigerator for 24 – 48 hours.  The water must be changed at least daily.
    1/2 kg boneless, dry salted cod
  • Remove cod from the water and dry on a paper towel.
  • Season the flour with pepper and coat the cod pieces with the flour.
    1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • Add vegetable oil to a frying pan so that it is at least one inch deep.  Heat the oil.  When the oil is hot enough so that something sizzles when it is placed in the oil, add the cod.  Fry the cod over medium heat, flipping it as required, until it is golden brown on all sides and cooked through.  This should take about 15 minutes total.
    vegetable oil, for frying
  • Remove the cod from the frying pan and let drain on a paper towel lined plate in order to soak up some of the excess oil.

For the skordalia:

  • Peel the potatoes and cut into cubes.
    5 medium sized potatoes (about 2 lbs)
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil, add 3/4 teaspoon salt and when the water is boiling add the potatoes.  Boil until they are mash-able, approximately 15 minutes (this will depend upon the size of your potato chunks).
  • While the potatoes are boiling, prepare your garlic.  Peel the garlic, cut each clove in half, and check each clove for any green parts and remove them.  Then combine the garlic with 1 teaspoon of salt.  Place the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle and turn it into a paste. If you do not have a mortar and pestle you can use a micro-grater or garlic press to prepare your garlic and then mix it together with the salt.
    1 ¾ teaspoon salt, divided, 1 medium head of garlic
  • When the potatoes have boiled, mash them.  If you need to add liquid in order to make them creamier and easier to mash, add 1/4 cup of the water that they were boiled in.
  • Allow potatoes to cool.
  • In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cooled mashed potatoes,  garlic paste, red wine vinegar and vegetable oil.  Whisk together for 3 – 5 minutes on medium speed until all of the ingredients are well combined.
    1/3 cup red wine vinegar, 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 87g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 8805mg | Potassium: 2960mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 182IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 6mg

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13 Comments

  1. Can I use fresh cod instead of dry salted cod

    1. miakouppa says:

      Yes you can Anna. Simply skip the soaking process 🙂

  2. I made the skordalia. Simple, truly delicious and a recipe that I will make again. Txs

    1. miakouppa says:

      That’s great to hear Marina! Thanks for letting us know and so glad that you liked it 🙂

  3. Hello, sorry to ask stupid question. I am new at cooking. I have freezed cod in my freezer. Does it require the same process of soaking or not?

    1. miakouppa says:

      There are no stupid questions! The cod in this recipe has been salted and preserved; very different than fresh cod (which may be what you have in your freezer). If you have unsalted (fresh) cod, treat it the same way, but no need for soaking it for days. Enjoy! And let us know if you have other questions. 🙂

  4. katinahughes2014K says:

    Veg oil instead of olive oil in the skordalia. Hmm.
    My mother made it with dried, ok, stale bread but I like the smoothness of the potato.
    Thanks.
    Now if u could just find the salt cod around here…Maryland.

    1. miakouppa says:

      Hi Katina, we understand, salted cod is definitely not easy to find… If you can find a Greek or Mediterranean grocery store, you might have luck.

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