Bakaliaros Skordalia — Crisp Beer-Battered Salt Cod with Garlic Potato Purée

⏱ 60 min · Serves 4

Greece's Friday night classic: salt cod fried in a shatteringly light beer batter, piled beside a punchy garlic-and-potato skordalia. Salty, crunchy, fiercely garlicky — a taverna plate that tastes of sea air and lemon.

Per serving: 702 kcal · 40.0g protein · 58.0g carbs · 34.0g fat

Ingredients

• 600g salt cod fillet (soaked 24-36 hrs, water changed 4-5 times), or 600g fresh cod loin lightly salted for 1 hr
• 200g plain flour, plus 50g for dusting
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 250ml cold lager or sparkling water
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• Sunflower or light olive oil, for deep frying (about 1 litre)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 500g floury potatoes (Maris Piper), peeled and cut into chunks
• 4-5 fat garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• 120ml Greek extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1-2 tbsp cold water or potato cooking water
• Flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Method

1. Drain the soaked salt cod, pat very dry and cut into 8 finger-sized pieces. Taste a raw sliver — if still very salty, soak another few hours.
2. Boil the potatoes in unsalted water until completely tender, 15-18 minutes. Drain, reserving a little water, and steam-dry 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile pound the garlic with the flaky salt in a mortar to a smooth paste (or crush finely and mash with the salt).
4. Mash the hot potatoes through a ricer into a bowl. Beat in the garlic paste, then trickle in the olive oil in a slow stream, stirring steadily. Add the vinegar and a splash of water until you have a thick, glossy, spoonable purée. Season and keep warm.
5. Whisk the 200g flour, baking powder and fine salt together, then whisk in the cold beer until just smooth — lumps are fine, don't overwork. Rest 10 minutes.
6. Heat the oil to 180C in a deep pan. Dust the cod pieces in the extra flour, shake off, then dip in the batter letting the excess drip away.
7. Fry in batches of 3-4 for 4-5 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp. Drain on a rack, never paper, so they stay crunchy.
8. Spread the skordalia on warm plates, pile the cod alongside, scatter parsley and serve with lemon wedges and a cold beer.