Home Salted Cod Fritters with Foamed Chios Mastiha Skordalia

Cod fritters, one of the standard dishes on Greek taverna menus for decades, if not longer, gets a decidedly up market transformation in the following dish. The cod is salted, but subtly; and the typically garlic-laden skordalia that traditionally accompanies it is here a light and airy concoction, easy on the garlic so that all the other flavor agents shine forth.

1. For the skordalia foam: Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for five minutes. Heat 100 ml milk in a medium saucepan and dilute the soaked sheets. Mix in the remaining milk. In the bowl of a food processor or strong blender whip together the milk mixture and gelatin. Pulse for one minute at high speed. Add the almond oil, vinegar, Chios Mastiha oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse for another few seconds to combine very well. Strain the mixture and place in a whipped cream canister. Place two gas ampoules in the canister and refrigerate for 4 hours or until the mixture is very cold and set.

2. Place the cod fillets in the salt, covering completely, for one hour. Remove, rinse and soak in plain water for 30 minutes. Dry with paper towels and cut into pieces or strips, each about 100 gr. (3 ounces). Set aside.

3. Mix together all the dry ingredients for the batter. Add the beer a little a time and mix until a thick batter forms.

4. Heat the oil in the deep fryer. Dip the cod into the batter, shaking off excess. Deep fry in hot oil until golden. Serve with a dollop of foam on each plate or spray the skordalia foam into separate small cups or glasses and serve next to the cod.