Toum Garlic Sauce
Toum is a stable emulsion of garlic, oil, lemon juice, and salt. Success hinges on a slow, steady stream of oil; if you pour too fast, the mixture will break. When done correctly, it turns into a dense, cloud-like paste that holds its shape on a spoon.
The emulsification window
Keep your ingredients at room temperature. Cold garlic or lemon juice can cause the oil to separate before the emulsion sets.
- food processor with a high-speed blade
- measuring cups
- silicone spatula
What goes in.
- 1 cupgarlic cloves, peeled and ends trimmed
- 1 tspkosher salt
- 3 cupsneutral oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower
- 1/4 cupfresh lemon juice
Maintaining the Emulsion
The oil must be added drop by drop for the first quarter cup. Once the mixture turns white and thick, you can increase to a very thin, consistent thread.
The method.
Process the garlic and salt
Pulse the peeled cloves and salt in the food processor until they are minced into a fine, uniform paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl twice to ensure no large chunks remain.
Add the first oil
With the processor running, slowly drizzle in about 1/4 cup of the oil. Do this drop by drop. Wait for the mixture to thicken into a thick, opaque cream.
Alternating lemon and oil
Add a tablespoon of lemon juice to lighten the mix, then continue adding the oil in a thin, steady stream. Alternate the remaining lemon juice with the oil whenever the mixture gets too thick for the blades to catch.
Final check
Stop the processor when the oil is gone and the texture is stiff. Taste for salt. The sauce should be pungent and airy.
Other turns to take.
Minted Toum
Add a handful of fresh mint leaves during the garlic processing step for a bright finish.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If the sauce breaks and turns oily, stop. Take a new clean bowl, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, and slowly stream the broken sauce into it while processing.
Use fresh, firm garlic. Old garlic with green sprouts in the center will make the sauce taste bitter.
Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks; it will firm up further once chilled.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a blender instead of a food processor?
A blender is often too narrow at the base to catch the initial small amount of garlic effectively, and it tends to heat the oil too quickly, which ruins the texture.
Why is my sauce yellow?
You likely added the oil too quickly, or your oil choice is too heavy. Use a truly neutral oil like grapeseed to ensure the sauce stays white.
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