Recipe: Aioli

Ingredients:

2 egg yolks

1 clove of garlic minced

dash salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

optional 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard

1+ cups of olive/canola blend (25/75)

a splash or two of water

I like to use 2 yolks for a couple different reasons: one, I like the richness of it and two, I find that it emulsifies easier. I also like to blend mine by hand, you can use a food processor but that's just the way I was taught. Now I think classically you want to use the dijon, but for me it just depends on what I am using it for and what I might want to flavor it with later.

First you want to create you emulsification by whisking together the yolks with the dijon and salt. If you want the garlic to be a stronger flavor I would start with it now. In terms of the garlic make a paste with the back of knife or mince it super fine.

 Once you have the this first bit emulsified then you want to slowly add in the oil. As it becomes a stronger bound emulsification then you can start to add the oil faster. Making aioli is not nearly as sensitive as making hollandaise. That said for the first time since culinary school I broke mine while taking the pictures for this recipe. Luckily fixing it is just as easy.

If you break the emulsification you do not need to cry as we can fix with just another egg yolk. Who's counting calories anyways. Start by creating another emulsification with your new yolk and slowly add in your broken mixture. Just like before you want to start slow and then you can speed it up. Generally you if you use a food processor you will have less of a chance to break it, but where is the fun in that.

As your mixture begins to thicken you will want to thin it out. At this point add in your lemon juice and taste. The ratio of oil and egg is a balanced flavor between the two. I think they say one cup oil to one yolk but I find I like to taste that. I am also one that doesn't follow recipes so if you are, 1:1 is your best bet. (If you following this recipe use 2 yolks and 1cup oil.) Chances are that you will need more oil and it will thicken up again, at this point add in a splash of water. When you get your desired thickness add in the garlic for that less potent flavor. Remember if you are going to flavor you aioli with something that is liquid based to account for that in your thickens. And if you want to just make plain ole mayonnaise omit the garlic all together.