Real Aioli Recipes

Steps:

• Place garlic slices in a mortar with kosher salt. Mash with the pestle into a fine paste, 4 or 5 minutes. Mix in lemon juice. Add a teaspoon of olive oil; stir and mash until oil is incorporated. Add another teaspoon and mix in thoroughly. Continue incorporating olive oil, teaspoon by teaspoon, mashing and stirring until aioli thickens up. If the aioli gets thicker than you like, add a few drops of water.

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolk, garlic, and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Mix in 1 tsp. water. Whisking constantly, add oil, drop by drop at first, then 1/8-teaspoonful at a time as mixture emulsifies and thickens. (Do not add oil too quickly or aioli will break and oil will separate.) Whisk until oil is incorporated and aioli is stiff enough to hold its shape when spooned.
• Do Ahead
• Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Steps:

• Place garlic and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or in a blender. Pulse for 2 seconds. Add the egg yolk and lemon juice, and pulse on and off until blended. Turn on and begin adding the olive oil (pure first, then extra-virgin) in a thin stream. If it becomes too thick, thin it out with some room-temperature water and continue adding oil until you've used it all. Finish with pepper and (if necessary) a bit more salt.
• The reason for using 2/3 pure olive oil is to keep the flavor of the oil from becoming overpowering. This is a perfect example of how by using a fully-flavored extra virgin oil you can use much less, thereby saving money and getting better flavor.

Steps:

• Blend 1/4 cup garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a blender on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes, then transfer to mortar. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil very slowly, 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time, stirring and mashing constantly and vigorously with pestle. This will take about 15 minutes, and mixture will become very thick and glossy. (Aïoli will separate if oil is added too quickly.) Transfer to a bowl. Make second batch with remaining ingredients.