Basic aioli-garlic sauce

Preparation time: 15 minutes

[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.

Ingredients

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

Preparation

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.