Aïoli is essentially a garlic mayonnaise used commonly in the south of France as a condiment for vegetable platters, shellfish, or an additional ingredient in sauces as a flavoring/thickening agent.  Though the traditional recipe uses potato to create a thicker viscosity, it is not crucial and is often left out of the recipe in other parts of France.  Rouille is a variation of aïoli that uses saffron infused fish soup as the hot liquid, and it is served on croutons with the bouillabaisse.

Difficulty: 

Prep Time:  5 minutes

Cooking Time:  15 minutes

Yields 1 cup

Ingredients:

1 large garlic clove, germ removed

1/8 tsp. fleur de Sel

2-3 Tbsp. potato, cooked, peeled & hot

2 egg yolks

1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

2-3 Tbsp. hot liquid (water, chicken stock, fish soup, etc)

¼ tsp. Esplette

Technique:

•Combine garlic and sea salt in a mortar & pestle and mash into a paste.