Eggplant Skordalia ....Eggplant garlic dip

Eggplant and Skorkalia is a very typical Greek Meze (hors d'oeuvre). You can have it at the beach ouzo, at home with a salad: a light snack for lunch.




To make this meze you need :
-  1 kg shiny black long eggplant sliced length wise or crosswise.
-  Extra virgin olive oil.
-  Pastry brush.


For the skordalia:
-  1 loaf of soft white bread keeping the white inside and cutting out the outside.
-  5 cloves of garlic.
-  ½ cup good extra virgin olive oil.
-  1/8 cup cider vinegar.
-  Salt to taste ( skorkalia must not be salty) or optional.
Method for the skordalia:
 -  Wet the bread under the tap and squeeze most of the water out. It must be soft and mushy.
-  Put it in the blending bowl.
-  Add the garlic.
-  Give the whole three to four pulses then blend till all the garlic has been incorporated.
-  Start adding the oil little at a time and blend looking at the consistency of the mixture. It must end up creamy and thick. Add all the oil, and blend.
-  Taste, you must not distinguish the taste of the oil.  Just the garlic and the consistency of the creamy mixture.
-  Add the vinegar and blend till you get this marvelous thick texture of skorkalia which is like taramosalata.
-  Refrigerate till it is time to serve.
Et voila!!
Now for the eggplant:
-  Heat your oven to 200 degrees C.
-  Lay your eggplant slices on a cookie sheet and brush little oil over them.
-  Bake for 30 minutes or until they are soft.
-  Take out from oven, let cool then refrigerate.

-  Serve with the skordalia and a salad with lots of tomatoes and cucumbers.

CAUTION for SKORDALIA:

• Do not eat at night.

• Make sure you are not driving after you eat it.   Plan for a long siesta.  Take lots of water with you to bed.

• Make sure you are not going on a date that night.

• Garlic is very good for lowering the blood pressure.

Drink Ouzo or just plain water with it.
Enjoy this special Meze.
Stelio