Vegan Gluten Free Skordalia

The Blender Girl's Note:

Do yourself a favor and partake of this simple rustic treat inspired by the fabulous spud. As anyone will happily agree – a spud is never a dud; and these mashed spuds are simple and sublime. There are a ton of fantastic skordalia recipes out there. A lot of them use crusty bread, which is of course, is a recipe for disaster, for those of us snouting in the gluten-free trough. I like this simple easy alternative that uses almonds. I like to put my spuds through the ricer to get a little air in them. It also creates a fabulous texture that looks a bit more interesting than your standard clumps of potato. This dip is extremely versatile. It is fantastic spread on grilled vegetable kebabs; wonderful as a paste spread for fish; and delicious served with crusty bread. It is also a sensational healthier alternative to the standard creamy mashed potatoes. If you are serving it as a dip or paste you can afford a richer taste as you will only be eating a little. But if you are serving this as

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 2 small b ...

• 4 medium organic russet potatoes (floury, washed and scrubbed, but not peeled)
• 6 -12 raw garlic cloves, finely chopped to taste
• 1 cup raw almonds (blanched or slivered)
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 5 tablespoons lemon juice (to taste)
• 1/2 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground pepper
• celtic sea salt
• 1 bunch chopped cilantro or 1 bunch coriander, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Wash and scrub the potatoes, and cover them with cold water and a generous pinch of Celtic sea salt. Bring them to the boil, and then simmer for about half an hour until cooked. Alternatively, you could steam your potatoes.
2. Mince your garlic, and then puree in the food processor with your olive oil and almonds to create a garlic paste.
3. Drain your potatoes, and gently remove the skin. Gently mash your spuds or put through a ricer.
4. Gently fold through half of the garlic paste, and then slowly add the lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
5. To finish – stir through some freshly chopped cilantro, parsley, or chives. I have put quantities as a guide only.
6. I like to slowly add in a teaspoon of lemon juice and vinegar in small amounts, and then taste. It can get very rich and tart quickly. So I always hold back half of the ingredients and add each in alternatively to get exactly the right blend of flavours.