Cyprus potatoes, waxy, red-skinned, firm-fleshed, the Peter Andre of the spud world, are flexible: while I’ve roasted the older ones, the ones in the shops right now are new, great simply boiled in their skins and slick with mint and butter. Cypriot potatoes are one of the best to cook with, coming from the iron rich red soil farms of that divided island. In North london, we are lucky, we have a sizeable Cypriot population, particularly at the fabulous shops in Green Lanes, where we can buy them, but they are also available at Tesco. This recipe, Skordalia, classically Cypriot, sounds rather unglamorous on the page, consisting of cold mashed potatoes used as a dip. It doesn’t sound too appetising does it?
Skordalia recipe
Enough for 6-8
Anonymous
Great post, I love skordalia … one of my favourite potato dishes, first time I made it I ate the lot (I am prone to greed) so had to make a second batch to serve for dinner.
Brighton Restaurants
looks so yummy. This is a simple recipe, but its so good. The combo of mint with potatoes is by default so delicious & great !
Miriam
I had a little giggle at the fact that your blog is called 'The English can cook' and that the first two posts I saw mentioned other countries' cuisine. This looks delicious.. with walnuts too, yum!
theundergroundrestaurant
Miriam: you are absolutely right. I suppose I called my blog The English can cook because I'd lived for years in France and got sick of the French saying our food was terrible.
But actually, especially as I'm a non meat eater/cook, I don't really cook much English food!
Mark Willis
"The Peter Andre of the spud world"! That isn't going to sell Cypriot spuds to me! But "Skordalia" sounds a whole lot more attractive and glamorous than "mashed potato puree"…
Leigh
yes! yes! yes! kudos for making this; people often turn those nose up at simple dishes like this but when the flavours are just right, it can be perfect. lovely work.
Jason
Oh…It's a bullshit
@photorecipe
Great recipe, one of my favorite potato dishes, very different and is great like an appetizer.
Congrats and regards,
@photorecipe
theundergroundrestaurant
It certainly does Mark!
I get the feeling that Peter Andre is a very nice person, and you can't deny that he has russet skin and possibly a firm inside.