Spanish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Homemade Alioli

The classic emulsion of garlic, olive oil and salt, pounded in a mortar into a firm white cream.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 250 ml mild olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Take all ingredients out of the fridge at least 30 min. before starting – at the same temperature, the sauce emulsifies far more reliably.
2. Peel the garlic cloves, cut out the green germ so the alioli won't turn bitter, and pound with the coarse sea salt in a mortar into a smooth, pale paste.
3. Beat the egg and add just the yolk for classic mortar alioli, or the whole egg for the safer version, to the garlic paste and mix thoroughly with the pestle or a hand blender.
4. Now work in the olive oil drop by drop, stirring without pause always in the same direction, until the mixture visibly thickens after about 50 ml.
5. Let the remaining oil trickle in a thin stream and keep stirring for 6–8 min. until a cream forms firm enough that the pestle stands up in it; if it curdles, rebuild it with a fresh egg yolk.
6. Season with the lemon juice, fill into a small bowl and serve chilled with grilled vegetables, fish or potatoes.