Aioli

Whilst seeking food one evening, I wandered into a local wine bar. On the menu was a rather eclectic range of small plates, but one caught my eye, a potato trio. Fingerling potatoes, oiled, salted, roasted and served with three aioli. Curry, Chipotle, and Herbal / Spice.

From Wikipedia:

Aioli or aïoli is a Mediterranean sauce made of garlic and olive oil; some regions use other emulsifiers such as egg. The names mean “garlic and oil” in Catalan and Provençal. Current versions of the French-Provençal sauce are closer to a garlic mayonnaise, incorporating egg yolks and lemon juice, whereas the original French-Provençal and Catalan versions are without egg yolk and have more garlic. This gives the sauce a pastier texture, while making it more laborious to make as the emulsion is harder to stabilize. There are many variations, such as adding lemon juice or other seasonings. In France it may include mustard. It is served at room temperature.

Like mayonnaise, aioli is an emulsion or suspension of small globules of oil and oil-soluble compounds in water and water-soluble compounds. In Spain, purists believe that the absence of egg distinguishes aioli from mayonnaise, but that is not the case in France and other countries, where cooks may use egg or egg yolk as an emulsifier. Using only garlic as an emulsifier requires that the cook thoroughly crush it and add oil drop by drop so excess oil does not “cut” the aioli.

Since the late 1980s, many people have called all flavored mayonnaises aioli. Flavorings include saffron and chili. Purists insist that flavored mayonnaise can contain garlic, but true aioli contains no seasoning other than garlic.

In the Occitan Valleys of Italy it is served with potatoes boiled with salt and bay laurel.

I shall be cheating a large amount on this with the use of a good quality mayonnaise as my base for the various spices / flavorings. Do note; Good quality mayonnaise, not sandwich spread or salad dressing.

Curry Aioli

A quick and simple dipping sauce with an Indian Flair

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings 6 Servings

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/4 cup neutral oil vegetable, peanut, etc
• 2-4 ea garlic cloves Peeled.
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp fenugeek
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1 cup mayonnaise Good stuff, real deal
• 1 cup greek yogurt Good stuff, full fat, real deal
• 2 tbsp lime juice Fresh squeeze, please
• 1 tsp Salt Sea,
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper Fresh..

Instructions

 

• heat oil to a shimmer in a small saucepan over medium low heat
• Add garlic cloves, and toast until they take a golden color
• Remove the garlie and all but ~ 1 tsp of the oil, add the various spices and cook until ragrant, and have formed a paste. Thin with oil a few drops at a time if the paste is too thick
• Remove spice paste to cool completely.
• To a small mixing bowl add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lime juice, salt, pepper and cooled curry paste. Mix well and refrigerate.

Notes

One COULD used the seeds of a lot of these spices, dry toast them in a frying pan, thence cool and grind, and continue as above.  For that rich nutty, smokey taste.

One can also cheat beyond all belief and use a prepared Indian Curry Paste, mixed with mayonnaise, and rested in the fridge for 1/2 hour whilst the potatoes roast.

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For the Chipotle Aioli, take 1 cup mayonaise, add 1 tbsp minced Chipotle, and 1 tsp Adobo sauce, 2 tsp lime juice, and 2 minced garlic cloves.  Mix well and refrigerate.

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Herbal is some much simpler.

Take 1 cup packed fresh mixed herbs, (mint, basil, chives, tarragon), 1-2 garlic cloves, 2 tsp lemon juice, blitz with a food processor.  Mix well with 1 cup good mayonnaise. Mix well and refrigerate.

One can also make one own mayonnaise.   But that is a different post.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!