One of my favorite recipes in French food where garlic is the main ingredient is Aioli or garlic mayonnaise. This dish from Provence is one that has been embraced around the world and is great as an accompaniment to a variety of dishes, topping a burger and one of my favorites, dribbled over a pizza, I know shock horror and totally not French but hey next time you order a pepperoni pizza try it. It’s delicious.

My recipe for Aioli is below

Aioli

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves
1 tsp salt
2 tsp dijon mustard
3 egg yolks
2 cups or 500mls of grape seed oil
1/2 cup or 120mls of extra virgin oil
2 tsps lemon juice

Method

1. Make a paste of the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle and add to a bowl

2. Whisk in the mustard and egg yolks until they are blended with the garlic and salt.

3. Then whisk about a 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the grapeseed oil very slowly in a fine stream, until the mixture becomes thick. Don’t add the oil too quickly or the mixture will not emulsify.

4. Add 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice to the oil and garlic mixture

5. Then add the remaining oil very slowly, whisking constantly. The aioli will gradually thicken to the consistency of a light mayonnaise

6. Adjust the seasoning, and add more lemon juice if it needs more tang

7. If it becomes too thick you might add 1 tablespoon of warm water to loosen it.

8. Taste again for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

This Aioli will keep for several days in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, but is best served within 24 hours of being made. It makes about 6 servings depending on how much you want to add or not.