Alioli - Spanish Garlic Mayonniase

By LaLaCooks

7.4.11 - Our celebration this year was creating a fabulous Spanish meal. It was wonderful!

Tapas, Sensational Small Plates from Spain, Joyce Goldstein: Alioli, which was introduced to Spain by the Romans, is equally claimed by Levante and Catalonia. It is used for dipping or for spreading with a variety of tapas, including Fritos, Bunuelos De Bacalao, Montaditos, fish and shellfish, rice and noodles, meat, and vegetables. In some parts of Catalonia, it is enhanced by the addition of honey, ground walnuts, or pureed quince, apples, or pears. The fruit versions are served with grilled or roasted meats, chicken, rabbit, and even with Croquetas De Jamon.

Originally, no eggs were used in the sauce. Instead, garlic was crushed to a paste with salt and then mixed with olive oil and thickened with a small amount of bread crumbs. But the emulsion is quite fragile and you need a good deal of elbow grease to produce a successful version that doesn't break. Nowadays, egg yolks are added, which simplifies the preparation and turns the sauce into a garlic mayonnaise. The egg yolk version can be made in a mortar with a pestle, the traditional tools, or more easily in a food processor. In either case, all of the ingredients should be at room temperature. The flavor of most extra virgin olive oil is too strong for an all-purpose sauce, so I advise a milder virgin or pure olive oil, or a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and canola oil. The oil must be added drop by drop (a plastic squeeze bottle works well) while beating-or processing- constantly until an emulsion forms. You can then add the balance of the oil in a thin, steady stream.

Ingredients

• 6 About 6 cloves garlic
• Kosher salt
• 2 large egg yolks (see note)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
• 1 1/2 About 1 1/2 cups pure olive oil or 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 3/4 cup canola oil

Details

Servings 2
Adapted from stltoday.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature. Peel garlic; cut away and discard any green shoots. Chop enough garlic to measure 1 tablespoon. In a mortar, combine garlic and a big pinch of salt; with pestle, grind to a fine paste.

2. Drop egg yolks into a blender or food processor. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice; process until blended. With machine running, add oil, a few drops at a time, until mixture begins to emulsify, then keep adding oil until mixture is the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. Pulse in most of the garlic. Pulse in the remaining lemon juice and more garlic and salt to taste.

3. Transfer to a tightly covered container; refrigerate until needed.

Note: This recipe contains raw eggs; to eliminate the possibility of food poisoning, use Davidson's eggs, which are pasteurized in the shell.

Per tablespoon: 110 calories; 12g fat (98 percent calories from fat); 1.5g saturated fat; 15mg cholesterol; no protein; 0.5g carbohydrate; no sugar; no fiber; 10mg sodium; 3mg calcium; 5mg potassium.