What is Aioli?
Aioli, which means garlic oil in Catalan, is a Mediterranean sauce or dip consisting of fresh crushed garlic and olive oil that is pounded into a paste with a mortar and pestle.
Aioli is can also be made with egg yolks, which makes the sauce creamier and richer. There are many variations, including mayonnaise, dijon mustard, tomatoes … the list is endless.
What is the difference between Aioli and Mayonnaise?
Aioli has two base ingredients: garlic and olive oil. Mayonnaise’s base ingredients are egg yolks and canola oil, and usally also contains lemon juice or vinegar, mustard and salt. The sauces may have similar textures, but they taste completely different. Even when egg yolks are added to Aioli, it has a stronger, bolder flavor due to the garlic and olive oil.
Mayonnaise
How to Make Basic Aioli (without egg)
Peel 4 cloves of garlic and put them in a mortar. Add 1/2 tsp of kosher (course-grain) salt. Mash the garlic into a fine paste. This takes several minutes. Add 1 tsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix. Add 1/2 cup oilve oil, but slowly, 1 tsp at a time, mixing thoroughly. Continue adding and mixing the olive oil until it becomes thick. if it gets too think for your liking, you can add a bit of water.
