Aioli (Traditional Provencal Garlic Emulsion)

February 12, 2013

Aioli (Traditional Provencal Garlic Emulsion) - kvalifood.com

Aioli is a Provencal garlic and olive oil emulsion. The traditional version is just garlic pounded to a paste, then emulsified with olive oil drop by drop, stabilized with an egg yolk. It is served as part of le grand aioli, a communal meal of poached cod, steamed vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs.

Ingredients

Makes ca. 250 ml, serves 4-6

4 garlic cloves (20 g), degermed and peeled
1 egg yolk, room temperature
200 ml extra-virgin olive oil, room temperature
1 tsp lemon juice (optional, for brightness)
1/4 tsp fine sea salt

Directions

Prepare garlic. Remove the green germ from each clove if present. Place garlic and salt in a mortar. Pound to a smooth, uniform paste - no chunks should remain.

Add egg yolk. Drop the yolk into the garlic paste. Mix with the pestle until fully combined and the mixture is slightly sticky.

Begin emulsification. Add olive oil drop by drop - no more than a few drops at a time - while stirring constantly in one direction. This first stage is critical. Continue drop-by-drop until roughly 2-3 tablespoons of oil are incorporated and the mixture looks thick and glossy.

Continue with a thin stream. Once the emulsion is established, pour the remaining oil in a very thin, steady stream while continuing to stir in the same direction. The aioli should become progressively thicker and hold its shape.

Adjust. Stir in lemon juice if using. Taste and add more salt if needed. If the aioli is too thick, stir in a few drops of water to loosen it slightly.

Rest. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Best used within 2 days.

Notes

If the emulsion breaks (oil separates), place a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and very gradually whisk the broken mixture into it, drop by drop, until re-emulsified.
Use a mild or medium-intensity extra-virgin olive oil. A very peppery or bitter oil can be overpowering.
For “Le Grand Aïoli,” serve alongside poached salt cod, steamed carrots, potatoes, green beans, cauliflower, artichokes, and hard-boiled eggs.
Degerming garlic is recommended - it reduces bitterness and sharpness, especially with raw garlic.
A mortar and pestle produces the most traditional texture. A whisk in a bowl works but yields a slightly different consistency.