Thought for the Day

I'm proud to share a birthday with Patrick Henry.

The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them. -Patrick Henry, revolutionary (1736-1799)

Aioli Recipe

Aioli --

I hate what most chefs call aioli. They'll add chipotle peppers to it or onion compote (and who calls a compote a confit unless they write menus?).

The word derives from the French word for garlic. There are other garlic mayonaise-type sauces; rouille uses bread as a thickening agent, for instance. It's heavenly with the fish soup -- not bouillebaisse, though it's good with that too -- served all over the Mediterannean coast in France.

Aioli is communal. In the more inland parts of Provence, many towns still have a "Grand Aioli" in the middle of August. I suspect it is usually held around the Feast of the Assumption, but certainly from mid-July to mid-September these small town Grand Aiolis are the equivalent of pancake breakfasts or spaghetti dinners in US small towns.

The food at a Grand Aioli is simple. The meats are grilled, baked, or boiled. The vegetables are steamed, boiled, or raw. Dessert is either fresh fruit, fresh fruit tarts, or sorbets.

The focus is on the sauce. This is my recipe. I derived it from several sources over years of experimentation. Not all aiolis have mustard in them, but I find it emulsifies better and I like the extra flavor. I've also taken salmonella warnings to heart.

Two egg yolks (use either pasteurized eggs or bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the eggs by slowly lowering them into the water with a spoon. Time the eggs for a full minute and a half. Use cold water or ice to bring their temperature down quickly. Open the eggs and take out the still soft yolks.)

Three to five cloves of garlic -- Don't use elephant garlic. The fresher the garlic, the better.

scant 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

1/4 teaspoon of white or long pepper corns

1 teaspoon lemon juice (more may be required. Fresh is best.)

1 teaspoon grated (not shredded) lemon zest (Fresh. Omit if you don't have fresh.)

1 to 2 cups extra virgin olive oil. (Some people recommend a mix of olive and other vegetable oils or using light olive oil. I don't.)

In a mortar and pestle put the salt, garlic, mustard, and lemon zest. Pound and grind into a paste. Add the egg yolks and lemon juice and keep pounding and mixing.

Add a few drops of olive oil. Bring into the mixture until emulsified. Add a few more drops of oil and mix thoroughly. Continue adding a few drops at a time until about 1/4 of the oil is gone.

Now here it gets tricky. I recommend a second person for this part.

While you continue to mix and work the emulsion, pour a thin stream of olive oil into the mixture. If the emulsion stops absorbing the oil, stop pouring and continue mixing. Return to adding a few drops at a time and then go to the thin stream stage.

Stop and taste. It may need more lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, or mustard. Incorporate the ingredients. Add a few drops of olive oil. Mix into the emulsion. Return to the thin stream stage until you have a thick, creamy mayonnaise.

No, you may not use a blender, food processor, or electric beaters. The heat effects the flavor and texture. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, finely mince the garlic and add the egg yolks at the very beginning. Use ground white or long pepper. Beat with a fork or wooden spoon. The texture won't be the same, but the flavors will still be wonderful.

I almost forgot. The aioli will need to sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours to let the flavors meld. I prefer to leave it overnight when possible.