From New York Times.
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
Aioli is the quintessential Provençal condiment, a very pungent garlic mayonnaise that in its home country contains more garlic than the version below – which is already pretty garlicky. It’s easy enough to make, and wonderful with all sorts of vegetables, like greens, steamed artichokes and asparagus. All it requires of the eater is a taste for raw garlic.
On Fridays there is a meatless tradition in Provence called aioli monstre, or huge aioli: a feast of boiled vegetables and salt cod accompanied by copious amounts of aioli. In the fall, the end of the harvest might be celebrated with such a feast, and at one of my favorite Provençal restaurants, Le Paradou, near Arles, that’s what you go there to eat on Fridays. Aioli is also traditional on Christmas Eve, in the ritual meal known as the gros souper. In Catalonia, garlic mayonnaise, which is traditionally made without the egg but in modern times has evolved into something more like this version, is traditionally eaten as an accompaniment to grilled spring onions and snails at a feast called the cargolada. It’s also an indispensable accompaniment to paella.
But aioli requires no feast. This week I had some left over from a dinner party, so I stirred it into a mixture of steamed cod and fava beans, with delicious results. I spread it on sandwiches, and I used it for a wonderful chickpea and green bean salad.
Aioli (Provençal Garlic Mayonnaise)
I find that it is easy and just as quick to make aioli in a mortar and pestle or in a bowl with a whisk as it is to use a food processor. I prefer the tight mayonnaise I get this way. No matter which tool you use, always mash the garlic in a mortar and pestle first so that you have a paste and not little bits of garlic suspended in mayonnaise.
2 to 4 large garlic cloves (more to taste; authentic aioli has more like 4 to 6), peeled, cut in half, and green shoot removed
Salt to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 free-range organic egg yolks, or 1 egg and 1 egg white (the yolks are traditional, but the whole egg and white works fine)
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Whether or not you are using a mortar and pestle for the mayonnaise, begin by mashing the garlic and salt together in a mortar and pestle. Mash to a smooth paste.
2. Using the mortar and pestle (for egg yolks only; this is the traditional method, and will result in a very silky, creamy aioli if you do it correctly):
Add the egg yolks to the mortar and beat with the pestle until smooth. Measure the grapeseed oil into a measuring cup with a spout, and drip by drip, work the oil into the egg yolks, gently but constantly stirring in one direction with the pestle. As the mayonnaise begins to emulsify, you can start adding the oil in a steady stream, but the stream must be a thin one, and you must stir constantly but not too fast. Once you have a good emulsion, you can scrape the mixture into a bowl and continue with a whisk if it’s easier for you. It helps to rest the bowl on a damp towel shaped into a ring. Use up the grapeseed oil first, since it makes a better emulsion than olive oil, then continue with the olive oil. I find that once the egg yolks and oil are emulsified, it’s easiest to drizzle in a tablespoonful of oil while beating, stop drizzling and really beat hard to work it in, then continue with another tablespoonful. When all of the oil has been added and the mayonnaise is thick, taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Using a food processor:
Place the egg yolks or egg and egg white in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn it on, and begin drizzling in the grapeseed oil, then the olive oil, in a thin stream. Some food processors have little holes in the plungers meant for controlling the flow of oil into the mayonnaise. When all of the oil has been added, stop the processor and scrape in the garlic paste. Process for a few seconds, until the paste is well blended into the mixture. Taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. The mayonnaise will be thinner than the mortar and pestle version.
Rouille
This variation is served with bouillabaisse and other fish soups. I like it with just about anything that aioli is good with.
To the above recipe add:
2 generous pinches saffron
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne, or 1 dried hot red pepper, seeded
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste (optional)
When you have mashed the garlic, add the saffron and the cayenne or hot pepper and mash together. Proceed with making the mayonnaise as directed.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups.
Advance preparation: This will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, but the garlic becomes more pungent, so use the smaller amount. You can make the mayonnaise ahead, mashing the garlic to stir in shortly before serving.
Nutritional information per tablespoon: 85 calories; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 15 milligrams cholesterol; 9 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 49 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 0 grams protein.
No comments:
Post a Comment