FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION - 25th MARCH: GREEK TRADITIONAL DISH FOR THE ANNUNCIATION- FRIED SALTED COD WITH SKORDALIA

FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION - 25th MARCH

GREEK TRADITIONAL DISH FOR THE ANNUNCIATION-

FRIED SALTED COD WITH SKORDALIA
[PREPARATION STARTS 3 DAYS AHEAD]



This is the day on which the Angel Gabriel appeared to our Lady – the day when the incarnation of Our Lord was enabled for our sakes by her fiat. This momentous day in the Christian calendar, the Annunciation of the Theotokos, is celebrated by the Greeks by consuming fish. The Greeks, it must be noted, are required to abstain in Lent from not only meat, but fish, dairy and even olive oil -the feast days of the Annunciation and Palm Sunday are the only days during the 50 day Lenten fast that Greek orthodox are allowed fish. So stop complaining Catholics – you have it easy!
The traditional Greek dish for this important feast day is Fried Salted Cod with garlic sauce, (Bakaliaros skordalia). The Skordalia operates as a dipping sauce.
PREPARATION OF THE COD:
Place the cod in a bowl in cold water and put in the refrigerator.
Leave the cod soaking in the water for 36 hours, changing the water each 12 hours, but leaving a small amount of the salt water in the bowl.
Note: Preparation of the cod must commence 3 days before.
SKORDALIA
INGREDIENTS
800g potatoes\5 garlic cloves
½ cup of fish stock, preferably some water from the pot in which you have cooked the salted cod.
1 cup of olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste.
METHOD
1 Boil the potatoes for mashing, (ie., soft).
2. Peel the garlic and crush in a mortar and pestle with salt until it is pureed in a thick creamy paste.
3. Mash the potatoes and put them in a blender/food processor, together with the pureed garlic,1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the fish stock and the juice of the lemon.
4. Blend the potatoes/garlic mixture until a thick paste is formed. Blend in stages, repeating with remaining potatoes, stock and olive oil, until all ingredients are combined.
5. When blended, mix in salt to taste and drizzle a small amount of olive oil on top.
BAKALIAROS
[Serves 4]
INGREDIENTS
1 large piece dried salted cod
Batter: 1 cup rice flour
1 ½ cups flour
1 tspn baking powder
some cold water
Alternative- Crumbed: 1 egg beaten lightly
Breadcrumbs or Panko
salt and pepper
Olive oil for frying (or vegetable oil)
1 Batter: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, water and baking powder to make a thin batter. Dip the cod in the batter and shallow fry in hot oil (about ½ inch deep in a medium skillet) on both sides, then lower the heat and cook until done, turning once.
2 Alternatively, to crumb: Dip the cod in the egg and then dip it in the panko. Repeat the process and then place into the skillet with the olive oil to shallow fry.
Serve the cod hot with the Skordalia in a large bowl in the centre of the table together with the fried salt cod.
Image: from the blog book of days tales

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