MPM-Special food for special days

Good morning, dear friends,
Last week we celebrated two special days. The feast of the Announciation and Palm Sunday. Next Sunday it's Easter! Although we have a very sentimental and deeply religious time ahead of us with some very emotional services, readings, and hymns, we already begin to feel the air of delivery from the gloom of our sins, thanks to our Lord. 
This week is the last week of fasting before Easter.In all its wisdom, our church has thought of our human weaknesses. The Fathers of the first centuries of Christianity have taken into account the need of the soul to cleanse while the body cleanses. Fasting and prayer go hand in hand.
However, on these two days, we make an exception. We can eat fish.
Fish at this time of the year in our household as in many traditional households in Greece means cod. It comes salted from the North Sea. This one is from Iceland.

The cod filet must stay in the water overnight and then the water must be changed again, because the cod is too salty. That is how it is preserved.

Then, we mix flour with some beer and bread crumbs, we wrap chunks of the fish in it and fry it. Skordalia (aioli) is the best company to cod. First, we boil the potatoes. Then we peel them and process them as we would for a puree. We then make a fine paste of garlic, salt and vinegar, to taste. I use equal amounts of potatoes and garlic cloves. We then add the mashed potatoes, folding in slowly the olive oil. Tasting is required and quite enjoyable!

One of my favorite kitchen gadgets.

Helping hands are welcome. Great time for conversation, too.

Mixing the skordalia with the wooden pestle.

Almost ready. We may need some extra olive oil once served, to taste.

One can make a Greek salad to accompany it, but since we like to eat according to the season, lettuce with fresh onions and fennel is a great salad.

Now, for the rest of the week, as we shall be busy preparing for Easter,we shall stick to some familiar treats, seen here, but strictly without the cheesy options.

Yesterday, we also made Easter cookies. I was afraid I wasn't going to make them this year, as my mil's food processor broke down and we are not going to buy a new one soon. So, I decided to do everything by hand. Highly recommended, dear friends.

Finally, for this post, I have read this article over at our host's, Organizing Junkie. I have read two of Cathy Peel's books, The Family Manager and The Family Manager's Everyday Survival Guide. They were great and helped me enormously in getting started with the family life.I am not familiar with the newest book suggested at the website, but the 10 points picked are great.

I wish you all a holy week.