This is the Provencal version of mayonnaise. Lightly golden, thick, unctuous, and garlicky. Its delicious. Its a lot of olive oil, but the flavor of the oil, with the creamy yolks is grassy and summery and very French. Its a sophisticated delicious mayonnaise, and you should try to make it the day of eating, but it can be made ahead and stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days.
The process of making aioli can be very zen, but it can also be terrifying because of the ability for it to separate and “break”. Don’t be scared. There is a very easy fix. Take a couple more egg yolks, beat them till light golden, and drip the broken aioli back into this mixture. It will firm up. Guaranteed.
- 4 egg yolks (+ 2 more just in case the aioli breaks) – organic and free range are a must here because they will be eaten raw
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 2 – 3 cloves of garlic mixed with 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 – 3 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon of dijon mustard
I use a large metal mixing bowl and a whisk to do this. Not because I am old school, but because you can control the emulsification process much better than in a blender, an electric whisk or a food processor. It doesn’t take that long.
First take the garlic and take out its germ or inner shoot. Mince and then with the flat blade of a knife puree the garlic with the salt. Leave for a while as you mix together the oil and egg. The salt breaks down the garlic, and when you come back to it, you can really squish and squash it to a fine paste.
Take a kitchen towel and centre your bowl on it. This helps prevent it from jumping around as you whisk. Take your egg yolks and whisk them until they are light gold. Using a measuring cup with a spout, start dripping infinitesimal amounts of oil into the egg, whisking all the while. Use a light hand, and keep up a steady stream of droplets. After about half a cup of oil is incorporated, you should see this coming together. It thickens, and becomes much harder to beat. Start using stronger strokes, and keep adding the oil in tiny droplets.
After a full cup of oil is added, you can start a steady, but very thin stream of oil, as opposed to droplets. Keep beating strongly. The entire process should take about 10 – 15 minutes. You can stop and take breaks if you get tired! Just give it a couple whisks before you start adding oil again! Once all the oil has been added, you should have a thick glossy goopy mayonnaise, greeny gold in colour.
Take about half the garlic and add, whisking all the while. Add the lemon juice and mustard, whisking to incorporate fully. Taste for salt, garlic, and the edge of sharpness the lemon juice brings. Adjust accordingly.
Store in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
This is phenomenal as a dip with fresh vegetables, and takes a sandwich to new heights. I make it when I have a dinner and want a gorgeous sexy succulent dip – and I always keep some back for me for the next day 😉 An avocado and aioli sandwich on rough brown bread is beyond wonderful.
Please note pregnant women and those with immune risks should not consume raw egg yolks. You might want to try pasteurized eggs though I personally don’t like them.
delectable 
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