Traditional French Aioli

I love Aioli. My parents used to make it when we were growing up. Even when I was very small I could not get enough of the strong, garlicy flavour.  It's so simple to make and goes well with... everything. If you like garlic you should definitely try this recipe.

What you will need
2 or more cloves of garlic
Olive oil
Salt to taste - approximately half a teaspoon.
Egg yolk 
Method
The traditional way is to use a mortar and pestle to crush your garlic and salt together.  Don't worry if you don't have this, you can use a garlic crusher instead and still get good results.

Start by peeling your garlic. The number of cloves you choose to use will mostly depend on how much kick you want your aioli to have. I personally like to use 3-4 large cloves of garlic, or more if they are smaller. I'm generally aiming for around 3-4 teaspoons of crushed garlic. This will make a strongly flavoured aioli and you may want to use less accordiing to your taste.

Crush the garlic and salt together using the mortar and pestle. You want to get as smooth a paste as possible, so be sure to put your elbow into it.  If you are using a garlic crusher then crush your cloves into a bowl, add salt and mix together.

Take one egg at room tempertature and seperate the yolk from the white as carefully as possible. Add the yolk to your garlic and salt mixture.

Next take a fork or small whisk and combine the egg yolk with the garlic and salt. Keep mixing it until you can see it start to bind. It should look sticky. 

Now add olive oil a few drops at a time and keep mixing. It is important not to lose the sticky texture, the mixture should stay thick. If it suddenly turns runny you've generally faailed and will need to start over, or though there are some rescue actions you can attempt. The key is just adding the oil very slowly and patiently, If you do this and take your time the Aioli should stay bound. 

Keep adding oil and mixing with your fork or whisk until you have a decent amount - I usually aim for a volume about the size of my fist. At this point the aioli should be so think it will hold the shape of a ball while you are mixing it.

When you are happy witht the quantity and solidity cover your aioli and set aside in the fridge for around 30 mins to chill before serving. You can make it ahead of schedule and chill for longer if desired. It can lose its consistency if left for long periods in the fridge though - I like to use it on the same day if possible.

Now serve with whatever you desire - in our family freshly cooked, hot baby potatoes are a favourite. Or carrot and celery sticks. It's delicious with everything! 

Bon apetit
Written by: Locky
Posted on: 2019-07-31T23:48:17.472Z
Recipe Book: Locky's Recipes