“Who said skordalia only goes well with Fried Cod (Bakaliaro) ?”

— Alexandra

but wait, what is “skordalia”?

For all my non-Greeks, skordalia is the Greek answer to garlic mashed potatoes!
It is a silky smooth potato puree enhanced with lots of garlic and thickened with olive oil (instead of butter/cream!).

this is the veggie side dish of your dreams.

This is what happens when a very Greek recipe meets a very “hosting-era” mood.
Because yes - skordalia deserves better than just being typecast next to cod.
And these leeks? Soft, golden, quietly luxurious.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Creamy, garlicky, lemony skordalia—but lighter, silkier, more refined
Naturally Lent-friendly / vegan (just skip butter if using)
A beautiful way to elevate simple laiki (farmers market) produce
Make-ahead friendly → ideal for dinner parties
Balanced: soft + charred + bright + crunchy (from toasted almonds)
Feels impressive, but is actually very doable

The Flavor Logic

This dish works because it balances softness with contrast.

Sweetness: The leeks slowly soften and caramelize → almost buttery
Fat: Olive oil in the skordalia creates that velvety texture
Acid: Lemon cuts through everything and keeps it fresh
Depth: Garlic + stock build flavor without heaviness
Texture contrast: toasted almonds add crunch (very important here)

Final taste check:

Too flat? Add a squeeze of lemon
Too sharp? Add a drizzle of olive oil
Too heavy? It needs salt or acid

Timeline - at a glance

Yield: Serves 4 (as a side)
Active time: 30–40 minutes
Cook time: 35–45 minutes
Total time: ~1 hour 15 minutes

Make-ahead friendly? Yes – all components can be prepped ahead
Best served: Warm or room temperature

Schedule options:

Plan A (Same-day):
Boil potatoes & garlic → Char + braise leeks → Blend skordalia → Assemble
Plan B (Host mode):
Make skordalia + leeks earlier → Reheat gently → Plate before serving

Key checkpoints:

Leeks should be deeply golden before braising
Skordalia should be smooth, not gluey
Final dish should taste bright (lemon) + round (olive oil)

Optional AKS Upgrades

Finish with a little extra lemon zest for brightness
Drizzle with a vibrant, aromatic Herb Oil
Add a few fried capers for a salty pop
Serve on a large platter with a dramatic swoosh (trust me)
Pair with roasted lamb, chicken, or keep it fully plant-based

Ingredients (4 Servings)

For the leeks

3–4 large leeks (700–800 g), trimmed
20 ml olive oil
15 g butter
220 ml vegetable stock
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Strip of lemon peel
1 small garlic clove
Juice of 1/2 lemon

For the skordalia

500 g potatoes, peeled
2–3 garlic cloves
30 g almonds, soaked in hot liquid (or potato liquid) for 10 minutes
60 ml olive oil
25 ml lemon juice
50–70 ml hot potato cooking liquid (stock)
1 tsp salt
Pepper to taste

For serving

30 g almonds, toasted
Green herb oil (see separate post)

Equipment You’ll Need

Large pot (for potatoes + garlic)

Wide pan or skillet (for leeks → important for even charring)
Blender or food processor (for smooth skordalia)
Knife + board

Tip: A wide pan = better caramelization. If crowded, the leeks will steam instead of char.

How to Make It

1. Prep the leeks

Trim the dark green tops and root ends, keeping the base intact. Slice lengthwise and wash thoroughly.

Why: Leeks trap a lot of dirt—this step prevents gritty texture.

Look for: Clean layers, no sand
Common mistake: Not rinsing well enough
If it happens: Rinse again after cutting

2. Boil potatoes + garlic in stock

Add potatoes and garlic to a pot with stock (or water + stock cube). Bring to a boil, then simmer 18–22 minutes until tender.

Why: Cooking in stock builds flavor from the base up.

Look for: Potatoes easily pierced with a knife
Common mistake: Undercooking → grainy skordalia
If it happens: Keep simmering until fully soft

3. Reserve liquid + steam dry

Before draining, reserve ~150 ml of the cooking liquid. Then drain and let potatoes steam dry for 2–3 minutes.

Why: Removes excess moisture → prevents gluey texture.

Look for: Dry, fluffy surface
Common mistake: Skipping this step → watery puree
If it happens: Add less liquid later

4. Char the leeks

Heat olive oil + butter in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Place leeks cut-side down and cook 3–5 minutes on each side until deeply golden and browned.

Why: This builds the core flavor of the dish.

Look for: Dark golden edges (not pale)
Common mistake: Moving them too early
If it happens: Let them sit undisturbed longer

5. Braise the leeks

Once your leeks have browned, add stock, crushed garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt, pepper.
Simmer gently 12–15 minutes until Leeks are tender and stock has reduced and thickened.

Why: Softens the leeks while keeping their shape.

Look for: Tender but intact pieces
Common mistake: Overcooking → falling apart
If it happens: Handle gently when plating

6. Make the skordalia

Mash or blend the boiled potatoes, garlic, soaked almonds, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper. Add reserved liquid gradually until smooth.

Why: Almonds add richness + structure.

Look for: Silky, spoonable texture
Common mistake: Over-blending → gluey
If it happens: Add olive oil + gently fold, don’t keep blending

7. Toast the almonds

Toast almonds in a pan until golden and fragrant.

Why: Adds essential crunch + contrast.

Look for: Light golden color + nutty aroma
Common mistake: Burning them
If it happens: Start again—they go bitter fast

8. Assemble

Spoon skordalia onto a plate, arrange leeks on top, drizzle herb oil and finish with toasted almonds.

Why: Layering textures and flavors is key.

Look for: Contrast—creamy base, structured leeks, glossy oil
Common mistake: Overloading with oil
If it happens: Balance with lemon

Tips & Troubleshooting

Not enough liquid → Add warm stock → Mix
Its been Over-blended → Add olive oil + fold gently with a spatula → Blend less next time
Needs salt or acid → Add lemon/salt → Taste in layers next time

QUick Saves

Add a spoon of yogurt to mellow out the garlic flavor if its too intense
Splash of warm stock fixes most texture issues
Extra toasted almonds = instant texture fix

Don’t panic, this is normal:

Skordalia thickens as it sits
Leeks look rustic before plating - they transform on the plate with some herb oil and toasted almonds

Substitutions & Variations

Use walnuts instead of almonds for a deeper flavor
Add roasted garlic instead of boiled for sweetness
Add mustard seeds or capers for punch
Add herbs (dill, parsley) into skordalia for freshness
Make it looser → almost like a dip

Storage

Fridge:
Up to 3 days, airtight

Freezer:
Skordalia can freeze (texture slightly changes)

Reheat:

Skordalia → gently with warm liquid
Leeks → low heat with a splash of stock

Make-ahead plan:

Day before: make skordalia + leeks
Day of: reheat + assemble fresh

Hosting Notes

T-24h:
Make skordalia, store covered

Day-of morning:
Braise leeks

T-1h:
Reheat both gently

T-10 min:
Toast almonds

Serve:
Plate fresh → oil → almonds last

Estimated Nutrition (per serving)

~320 kcal
Carbs: ~30 g
Fat: ~20 g
Protein: ~6 g

Estimate based on 4 servings, olive oil + almond content

AKS RECIPE CARD

Braised Leeks with Skordalia & toasted almonds

Sweet, golden leeks over silky, lemony almond skordalia with a bright, elegant finish

Serves
4

Prep
30 min

Cook
40 min

Total
~1 hr 15 min

Tip: Char the leeks properly before braising — that’s where the flavor lives.

Ingredients

Leeks

3–4 large leeks (700–800 g), trimmed
20 ml olive oil
15 g butter (optional)
220 ml vegetable stock
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Strip of lemon peel
1 small garlic clove
5 ml lemon juice

Almond Skordalia

500 g potatoes, peeled
2–3 garlic cloves
30 g almonds (soaked 10 min)
60 ml olive oil
25 ml lemon juice
50–70 ml hot cooking liquid
1 tsp salt
Pepper

To Serve

30 g almonds, toasted
Green herb oil

Method

Trim, halve, and wash leeks thoroughly; cut into large batons.
Boil potatoes + garlic in stock 18–22 min until fully tender.
Reserve liquid, drain, and steam-dry potatoes 2–3 min.
Char leeks in oil + butter 3–5 min cut-side down until deep golden.
Add stock, garlic, lemon peel; simmer 12–15 min until tender.
Blend potatoes, garlic, soaked almonds, oil, lemon, salt, adding liquid gradually until silky.
Toast almonds in a pan until golden and fragrant.
Plate: swoosh skordalia, top with leeks, herb oil, and toasted almonds.

Quick Troubleshooting

Skordalia too thick: Add warm cooking liquid gradually.
Gluey texture: Over-blended → fold in oil, stop mixing.
Bland flavor: Needs lemon or salt, not more oil.
Pale leeks: Didn’t char enough → increase heat, don’t move early.
Leeks falling apart: Overcooked → braise less next time.