Garlic Aioli
This is a raw emulsion, so use the freshest eggs you can find. The garlic should be pounded into a paste until it disappears into the salt, ensuring no sharp chunks interrupt the texture.
Temperature is your best friend.
Ensure your egg is at room temperature before starting; cold yolks resist emulsification and are more prone to breaking.
- Heavy mortar and pestle
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cup
What goes in.
- 3 clovesgarlic, peeled
- 1/2 tspcoarse sea salt
- 1 largeegg yolk, room temperature
- 1 cupneutral oil, such as grapeseed or light olive oil
- 1 tspfresh lemon juice
The Drip Method
Add your oil by the literal drop for the first quarter-cup. If you rush this phase, the oil will pool rather than incorporate, and the mixture will separate.
The method.
Make the garlic paste
Place the garlic and salt in the mortar. Grind firmly until the garlic is reduced to a smooth, wet paste.
Combine the base
Transfer the garlic paste to a medium bowl. Add the egg yolk and whisk until the mixture is uniform and slightly tacky.
Begin the emulsion
Add the oil one drop at a time while whisking constantly. Do not add the next drop until the previous one has fully vanished into the yolk.
Incorporate the remaining oil
Once the mixture thickens into a heavy cream, you can start pouring in a very thin, steady stream. Whisk continuously in one direction.
Finish and season
Whisk in the lemon juice. Taste, and add a final pinch of salt if it needs a lift. If it is too thick, whisk in a half-teaspoon of warm water.
Other turns to take.
Roasted Garlic Aioli
Replace raw garlic with one whole head of oven-roasted garlic for a mellow, sweet profile.
Herb-Infused
Fold in a tablespoon of finely minced fresh parsley or chives at the very end.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the aioli breaks and looks oily or grainy, stop. Put a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the broken sauce into it as if it were oil.
Do not use extra virgin olive oil for the entire cup; it can become bitter when whipped at high speeds.
Keep a damp cloth underneath your mixing bowl to hold it steady while you whisk.
The ones that keep coming up.
How long will this stay good?
Keep it covered in the refrigerator for no more than 24 hours due to the raw egg content.
Can I use a blender?
You can, but the heat from the motor can change the texture. The mortar and whisk method produces a more reliable, traditional structure.
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