AIOLI

about 1 cup

This is a basic garlic mayonnaise- you can, of course transform this in a variety of ways. Roasting the garlic would give it a mellower taste. You can mash roasted red pepper along with the garlic, turning it into a pink sweeter sauce. Aioli is delicious with  sweet potato fries, as a sandwich spread,  a dip for veggies or crabcakes ,tossed in with cooked new potatoes or green beans. Swirl some into a vinaigrette- for a creamy dressing- or stir in  a handfull of your favorite chopped herbs to create a green garlicky herb mayo.

2 extra large egg yolks- room temp*

1 t dijon mustard

2 T lemon juice

1 t white wine or champagne vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup canola oil

3-6 cloves of fresh garlic(you decide)

dash cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Put the yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, cayenne, and a pinch each of salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor that has been fitted with the steel knife. Pulse a few times, scrape down the bowl and  blend some more until  it well combined and pale yellow.

With the machine running, slowly pour a steady stream of the oils (that have been combined in a measuring cup) through the feed tube- it will start to thicken up . When all the oil is in- scrape down the sides and pulse a couple more times. Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Mash the garlic  cloves- and a little coarse salt with a mortar and pestle or a small wooden bowl and the back of a wooden spoon- to form a paste. Combine it with the mayonnaise. Test for seasoning, adding more garlic, salt or cayenne if you like. It will keep several days in the fridge.

    * If you are concerned about raw eggs- you can find pasteurized eggs in most markets these days