Aioli
Aioli is a garlic-flavored mayonnaise for which we have the French to thank. If you skip the garlic, you will have an equally delicious option—homemade mayonnaise. Once you've had this homemade version, you’ll see there’s nothing quite like it. Making mayonnaise is surprisingly simple. You can make it in under 5 minutes, and the recipe requires only four ingredients: eggs, garlic, oil, and Dijon mustard. Your small investment of five minutes will yield a multitude of uses for easy meals.
Aioli can be used on vegetables, potatoes, slaws, leftover meat like chicken, turkey, and lamb, and in deviled eggs. It’s not only superior to the store-bought jar of mayonnaise, but it also has more uses that will help you make a meal worth talking about.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Total Time: 5- 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 egg yolks
One teaspoon of Dijon mustard
3/4 - 1 cup olive oil
3/4 to 1 cup grapeseed or sunflower oil - optional
Six cloves of fresh garlic
Celtic or sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
Instructions
1. Crack the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Be diligent with this step. Egg white will not produce a firm mayonnaise and increases the risk the mayonnaise will “fall.” (See the explanation in Step 5.) Save the egg whites for an omelet. I usually add an extra whole egg with the yolk to the leftover egg whites when I make an omelet.
2. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
3. Add the 1 tsp of Dijon mustard to the mixing bowl.
4. Turn on the mixer and whisk the egg yolk and Dijon on high for about 20 - 30 seconds.
5. Start adding the olive oil in a steady stream. You want the egg and olive oil to "connect" and bind together and start to thicken. If the egg does not bind with the oil, we say the mayonnaise has “fallen,” meaning it is liquid and will not produce a mayonnaise.
6. Keep adding the olive oil until you have used 3/4 to one cup of olive oil.
7. Keep the machine on and slowly add the second oil - grapeseed or sunflower oil.
8. If the mayonnaise starts to get too thin add a little olive oil and then continue with the second oil.
You can make this with only olive oil. It is still fabulous, just heavier.
I never measure the oils, I go by feel adding about half olive oil and half either sunflower or grapeseed oil. A French Chef told me that an egg yolk will absorb an infinite quantity of oil, so the amount of oil you add is irrelevant. I add enough oil to produce the amount of mayonnaise that I want, and it is about 3/4 cup to a cup of each oil. You can play with these amounts.
9. Use a garlic press to add 3 - 6 cloves of garlic and mix into the mayonnaise to create an aioli.
Add Celtic salt and pepper.
Notes
Use your homemade mayonnaise or aioli anywhere you would use mayonnaise. Here are some unique ideas:
Make Mimosas. Not to be confused with the cocktail, they are the French version of the deviled egg. Named after the mimosa tree, which has small yellow flowers, the grated egg yolk resembles the yellow flowers on the mimosa tree. Serving Mimosas in small plastic spoons is a fabulous idea for entertaining. You can find the recipe and details here.
Get creative with your deviled eggs. Serve them on slices of tomato with a shrimp and basil leaf on top.
Serve the dish "Aioli," also called Grand Aioli, as a main dish. The dish Aioli is served with a variety of steamed fish, vegetables, and potatoes, such as steamed whitefish, shrimp, carrots, and asparagus. Hard-boiled eggs are also often included. All the ingredients are served on a platter with aioli on the side for dipping.
Serve as a dip for raw vegetables.
Use in tuna, potato salad, or cole slaw.
Serve with cold meat, like roast chicken, lamb, or turkey. This is classic in France in the summer heat and is a delicious and easy way to repurpose your leftovers into something new.
Or as a sandwich spread
Find it online: https://dinnerwithcaterina.com/aioli/