Basic Ailoi
Description
Several years ago, I read a book that beautifully illustrated French life, attitudes, philosophies and approach to food. The author wrote that the French approach daily cooking meals not as chores, but as just part of one's day--like getting out of bed in the morning. Not all French people necessarily like to cook (I'm pretty sure a lot of them do); but rather, it's just part of living, along with getting dressed in the morning, going to work, going to the market, taking the kids to school. And doing something like making a simple sauce to go with the meal, is just another part of the day. The author said that a French person wouldn't think of buying aioli at the market when it's so simple to make at home from scratch.
Hmmmm...
I had to ponder this one...until I tried making it at home. Now, neither would I think of buying it at the market, either. Instead, I make a batch at the beginning of the week, along with a batch of vinaigrette, and they both keep beautifully in the fridge for a week, by which time I'm usually most of the way through them.
For this recipe, please, please, please--whatever oil you use--make sure it is FRESH and of very high quality. Aioli is MOSTLY oil--if that flavor is off--and especially if it's the least bit rancid--that's ALL you will taste!
Ingredients
Instructions
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Start with fresh ingredients.
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Crack the egg into the carafe for your hand-held immersion blender. Then add the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, salt and garlic. Slowly pour in the oil and then let it sit there for a few minutes to settle--go ahead and tap it a couple of times on the counter, just to settle any bubbles out. If possible, you'll want to get that egg more or less into the middle of the carafe.
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Place the immersion blender head on top of that egg yolk and hold it down securely to the bottom of the carafe. Turn the blender on high (if yours has settings) and let it sit there running for 10-15 seconds until the emulsion process has fully started to take place.
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When you see the emulsion starting to evolve, you can now carefully move the wand up and down to fully emulsify the rest of the ingredients. This will only take a minutes or two.
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And viola! Homemade aioli!
