Greek Garlic Sauce (Skorthalia)

Great on hot or cold seafoods and fried or boiled vegetables.

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 6  garlic cloves
•  salt
• 1  cup mashed potatoes
• 2  slices  day-old white bread
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon vinegar
•  pepper

Directions

1. Pound garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mortar until smooth.
2. Add mashed potatoes and continue to pound and stir with pestle.
3. Soak bread (crusts removed)in cold water and squeeze dry.
4. Add to potatoes and garlic, pounding and stirring until smooth.
5. Gradually add olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar, stirring vigorously.
6. When smooth and light, add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Chill in a covered bowl before using.
8. Variation: Replace bread with 1/2 cup ground almonds or walnuts, or use 1 1/2 cups of ground almonds or walnuts instead of the potatoes and bread.
9. Blender method: Put all ingredients in a blender and blend at moderate speed until ingredients are pulverised. Sure beats all that pounding!
10. Increase speed for a few seconds until light and smooth. Do not blend for too long for the mixture heats and the oil separates.