Traditional aioli:
Aioli is traditionally made by grinding garlic cloves in olive oil. It originally comes from Provence, France along the Mediterranean near Italy. There are many varieties that include mixing egg, lemon, and mustard in the aioli. In fact, the old fashion aioli recipes call for egg, olive oil, and garlic. If you have ever made mayonnaise, you see the similarity immediately. Mayonnaise is made primarily from mixing oil and eggs together. So my recipe takes a shortcut. It is difficult to get oil and egg to emulsify. Oil and egg are immiscible – they do not naturally mix. Consequently, you have to emulsify them by whisking both together so they will not separate. Mayonnaise has already been emulsified, and therefore my recipe saves you some time whisking. Try the basic recipe below and then add some other ingredients like basil, Dijon mustard, Italian parsley, chives, and even soy sauce. If you do decide to make the aioli from scratch, start with 1 cup extra virgin olive oil and one egg yolk along with the 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 2 garlic cloves. Mix in a blender or small food processor until it emulsifies. Add the rest of the ingredients below (orange peel and salt and pepper) and you are ready to go.
Ingredients (5 or 6 servings for fish, olives, etc.):
¾ cup – mayonnaise
1 tablespoon – lemon juice
2 cloves – garlic, minced
1 teaspoon – orange peel
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.
Garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice and orange peel
It is best to refrigerate and “marinate” overnight to bring the flavors together. But the aioli can be made up to two hours prior to eating. If you do refrigerate overnight, make sure you serve it at room temperature the next day.
Bon appétit!
Ingredients mixed together.
