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BASIC AIOLI (GARLIC SAUCE)
[ay-OH-lee, i-OH-lee] A light mayonnaise style sauce with
fresh garlic.
Used atop vegetables or fish. A wonderful accompaniment to
simple crudités. The keys to success with aioli is to work very slowly
and have all the ingredients at room temperature.
The traditional tool used
to make aioli is a large mortar and pestle. We recommend a pottery or granite
mortar and pestle for this task.
Makes: 1 cup
4 garlic cloves,
peeled, chopped fine
2 egg yolks
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup virgin
olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cold water
1
teaspoon lemon juice
Add the garlic and salt to the mortar bowl and
grind slowly with the pestle, moving in one direction only. You can do this
first step in a food processor if you'd like, then transfer the mixture back to
a medium sized bowl.
Whisk in the mustard first, then the egg yolks. At
this point you can transfer the mixture back into the mortar or use the whisk
in the bowl.
Add in half of the oil very slowly or the oil will not
emulsify and the sauce will not thicken. Add the oil in a slow, fine stream
while either whisking with a wire whisk.
Once the first half of the oil is
incorporated, then add the water and the lemon juice, and mustard, whisking
constantly. Then slowly add the rest of the oil. The mixture will thicken as
you continue to blend it.
The mixture should be slightly thinner than
commercial mayonnaise. If it becomes too thick you can add a bit more warm
water, one teaspoon at a time.
Sauce Variations
Rosemary -
Add two teaspoons of minced fresh rosemary
Chipotle - Add one
tablespoon of minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce.
Saffron - Add
a large pinch of Saffron threads and a tablespoon of honey.
