Homemade Aioli & Grilled Asparagus

Aioli, as described by Alice Waters, is “a velvety, luscious, garlicky mayonnaise.” It’s another of those simple foods that, having been around for so long, has inspired debate over exact origins, and the proper, authentic ingredients. In Spain, for instance, aioli is made without egg, but in France, the sauce resembles mayonnaise more closely, as the addition of egg acts as an emulsifier to make a creamy, thicker sauce, and a small amount of mustard may also be added for flavor.

We’re not here to take sides in the debate, but we do know that making aioli with egg makes for a more stable emulsion, so this recipe from Waters’s The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution features egg, front, and center. The results are thick and rich and yes, luscious.

Aioli is a versatile sauce. Thick and creamy, it can be used as a dip for fresh veg, or as an ingredient in chicken, egg, or potato salads. It can be spread on sandwiches as mayonnaise, or thinned, as we show here, to use as a drizzling sauce for anything that needs some of that rich, golden flavor.

Method: For the Aioli

Peel the garlic cloves. If the cloves have begun to sprout, remove the green shoot by pulling it out by the tip; this will make for a better flavor and texture. Pound them until they form a paste in a mortar and pestle.

Separate an egg from the yolk; drop the yolk into a mixing bowl.

Add about half the garlic and half a teaspoon of water.
Mix well with a whisk.
Measure about a cup of olive oil into a vessel with a pour spout.
As you whisk, slowly dribble small amounts of the oil into the egg mixture.

 

As the egg yolk begins to absorb the oil, the sauce will thicken and become lighter in color. Continue whisking, and add the oil steadily until the full portion is incorporated, and the sauce is thick and creamy. Yes, by now this is a LOT of whisking. Keep going!
Whisk in a squeeze of lemon, if desired, to finish. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired with more salt or garlic. Garnish with lemon zest.

The aioli can be used as is or thinned to a drizzling sauce. As with any sauce containing raw eggs, aioli should be stored in the refrigerator. It’s best made fresh, in small batches, as it tastes best on the day it is made. 
To make the drizzling sauce, whisk in about 2 tablespoons of water, to thin sauce to the desired consistency.

For the Asparagus

Select fresh spears of asparagus. Look for tight tips, bright color, and firm stalks without wrinkles.
Wash the asparagus, then snap off the paler ends of the stalk, where it naturally breaks at the tough fibers.
Heat a grill pan over medium heat. As the grill surface warms, brush it with a high heat oil. (No grill brush handy? Use a carrot frond.) Of course, you can do this on a barbecue outside, too.
Place the asparagus on the grill. Use a bacon press or a cast iron pan to weight the asparagus firmly on the grill.
Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or until grill marks appear on the spears.
Flip or roll asparagus to the other side, and repeat.
Transfer asparagus to a plate, and season with fresh lemon juice and/or zest, and salt to taste.
Drizzle the aioli over the asparagus.
Enjoy!

Over to You

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