AIOLI

Last Saturday we went out to a very nice 90's bar and against the wall was this graffiti: 

AIOLI POWER! 

One of my first tests in Mama's Kitchen, was to make aioli, but not with a liquidiser, no no, with a mortal and pestle!  I proudly made my first aioli while my husband helped me and it turned out to be a total disaster.  I have made it so many times with an electric device, but never in the traditional way.  Later, I was told that if someone looks at how you make the aioli, it will not work out.  (I think it was just to let me feel better!)  Anycase, needless to say, I try it again without anyone watching me making the aioli and this time, I used eggs which were at room temperature and it came out perfect!


To make aioli in the traditional style, you start by grinding garlic (I use about 5 cloves of garlic) and salt together in a mortar and pestle. It must become like a type of paste before you add 2 egg yolks. Whisk together before olive oil is added in a thin stream while the mixture is constantly whisked. First pour a few drops of oil and mix well.  Then add more oil, but little by little. When it begins to thicken and turn creamy, add a little bit of lemon juicey to the aioli, and followed by more olive oil to create a dense, creamy sauce.



The two most important things to keep in mind when making aioli are temperature and speed. All of the ingredients should be at room temperature to prevent curdling, as slight variations may encourage separation. In addition, aioli needs to be worked with at a consistent, even speed which is not too fast but not too slow, either. Usually it takes several episodes of trial and error to make a successful aioli, and cooks should not be discouraged by early failures.  I wasn't!  Enjoy!