Le Grand Aioli

Aioli is a delicious staple of Mediterranean cuisine and personifies the flavors and cooking style of the South of France. It has a heady taste of garlic that makes it a delicious dip or sauce for crunchy crudités or poached seafood.

Ingredients

• 4 large cloves garlic, peeled

• 1 egg

• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

• 2 egg yolks

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 3 tablespoons water

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups canola oil

• pinch piment d’espelette

Instructions

Cut the cloves of garlic in half lengthwise and remove the germ. Bring six halves of the garlic to a boil in cold water, then discard the water and repeat once more, cooking the garlic until tender the second time. Fill a small saucepot with a few inches of water, the white vinegar and a pinch of salt; crack the whole egg into a cup.

Bring water to a simmer and slide in the whole egg. Poach for two minutes (the white will solidify but the yolk will remain runny). Transfer the poached egg into a blender or food processor and add the cooked and raw garlic, egg yolks, Dijon mustard, water, and salt. Purée until well combined.

While the machine is still running, add the olive oil and then canola oil in slow steady streams. The sauce should emulsify, with a thick, pale consistency similar to mayonnaise. Taste for seasoning and then transfer into a bowl and serve with your preferred accompaniments.

Suggested Accompaniments:

• Poached cod 

• Shrimp 

• Crab 

• Steamed clams or mussels 

• Boiled fingerling potatoes 

• Radish 

• Fennel 

• Cauliflower 

• Romanesco cauliflower 

• Lettuces 

• Cherry tomatoes 

• Hard boiled eggs 

• Baby carrots 

• Steamed artichokes 

• Asparagus 

• Wax beans 

• Green beans 

• Grissini 

• Fleur de sel