David’s Garlic Aioli

 

I was  making dinner for a couple of friends. I had my sides planned, but needed inspiration for the shrimp. I reached out to a friend who had given me good ideas before. He suggested a curry spice for the shrimp and a garlic aioli for dipping. Sounded great. I had homemade Vadovan seasoning, which is sometimes called French curry, so I was  covered there.That is what I used on the shrimp.

 

As dinner time approached I realized I had never made garlic aioli before. Not sure why not, but I looked to the internet for some recipes. As I was putting together a sauce using bits and pieces of what I had found, David suggested adding chili crisp. I felt like the aioli still needed something, so I added some. He also said it needed to be blended in, not just stirred in. That made sense. In this recipe a smooth final product is definitely preferred.  The chili crisp was just the right finish for the aioli. It came out so nice- and the chili crisp added a subtle blush to the color.  So as I share the recipe with you, it seemed only right to give my friend the credit he deserves. This is definitely a recipe I will be making again. Easy and tasty. I might even make the mayo from scratch next time. Thanks, David.

 

David’s Garlic Aioli

 

2 whole heads garlic (for roasting)

½ cup mayonnaise, store bought or homemade

1 T. olive oil (plus extra for roasting garlic)

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1-2 T. chili crisp

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Start by roasting the garlic.* Preheat your oven to 375°F. Cut the top off the garlic heads to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt, wrap tightly in aluminum foil, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes until soft and golden. Let cool, then squeeze the soft cloves out of their skins into a small bowl. Mash the garlic cloves once they are cooled down to room temp. Combine with the mayo and the rest of the ingredients. Place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust  seasonings. Makes a little less than a cup. Store in the  fridge and use with in a couple of weeks.

 

* You can also use peeled cloves of garlic instead of whole heads. I buy those big jars of peeled garlic at Costco. These are whole cloves, NOT chopped up. I dump them in a roasting pan, drizzle generously with olive oil, seal the pan tightly with foil and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Don’t let the garlic burn!!  Then I let it cool down and spoon the roasted garlic into small freezer containers and freeze until needed. That way I have roasted garlic available any time I want to use it. You can also just roast smaller amounts of peeled, whole cloves of garlic, too.