Aioli (French Garlic Mayonnaise)

I cannot believe that I have never made mayonnaise or aioli before. This garlicky mayonnaise is a gourmet’s dream! This Provencal mayonnaise is great to dress both fish or fowl, makes an awesome pasta sauce and is a wonderful addition to sandwiches. Just remember a little goes a long way!  (You also might need to make a garlic pact with your significant other before eating this, as it is powerful.) I remember my roommate, back in my San Francisco days, making this by hand at the kitchen counter. She would spend hours whisking the oil in until it emulsified.  Just the thought of doing that makes my arms ache.

My recommendation is to do this using a large food processor instead of a blender because food processors have a tube that allows only drops or a thin stream of oil to enter the mixture. My other caveat is that I would mince the garlic instead of just throwing in entire cloves, which was the recommendation of the recipe I followed.

Making Aioli does take a little bit of time, but seeing the transformation of garlic and egg yolks into a smooth and creamy mayonnaise is so worth it.  What takes time is the slow (emphasis on slow) addition of olive oil to the mixture; one teaspoon at a time. (Of course, you’re supposed to wait until the oil is totally mixed in before adding the next teaspoon, but I’ll admit, towards the end, I did start adding the oil in a bit faster.)

And just think of how healthy you’ll be just by breathing in all those wonderful garlic fumes!  Not to mention how wonderful your kitchen will smell!

Aioli

Diff:  Easy  Time: 30-45 min

 Makes:  1 ½ cups

Ingredients

  • 8 garlic cloves, minced

  • 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for another use)

  • 1 T fresh lemon juice

  • ½ t salt

  • Pinch or more of cayenne pepper

  • 1 ½ cups extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  • Put all ingredients, except for oil, in a food processor and puree.

  • While food processor is running, add oil, one teaspoon at a time, until you use ¾  cups of the oil.

  • Add remaining oil 1 T at a time until all oil is incorporated and you have a smooth and creamy, pale yellow mayonnaise.

  • Put mayonnaise in a well sealed jar or container and refrigerate.

This pungent mayonnaise just reeks of garlic, but despite it’s odor, it will be a welcome addition at your outdoors (or indoors) gatherings as a dip for your vegetable platter.  Think of what else you might do with this; perhaps using it as the base for an aioli pizza?  Hmmmm, sounds good to me!

Garlic.  The “Stinking Rose.”  It is such a humble little vegetable, but it’s flavor is one of the most loved in the world.  I’m sure that God created garlic to help make people healthy.  Full of anti-viral properties, it has a long history as a healing plant going back to 2000 BC.  A member of the Allium family, it has been used as a anti-coagulant, helps to reduce cholesterol and might even prevent certain cancers.  So, for your health, eat more garlic!

Until next time, wishing you all of God’s blessings, good health and happy eating!

Smiles and blessings,

Maria

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