Aïoli, the butter of Provence, is so much more than garlic mayonnaise. In Provence aioli is the centre of a grand feast of raw and steamed vegetables, boiled eggs, and often a little poached fish, called Le Grand Aïoli. Provençal olive oil is delicate in flavour – similar to that of neighbouring Liguria – so if you only have a more robust oil, use half of that and half of a neutral vegetable oil. There’s something very satisfying about whisking aïoli by hand – it also has a deeper golden colour than aioli made in a blender or food processor, but of course you can short-cut if you prefer. If your aïoli splits, follow my tips on how to save a broken mayo or aioli (and see the video below). Serve aïoli as a dip for vegetables or slathered onto sandwiches, including banh mi. When I serve aïoli as a dip with crudités, I like a textured pinot gris with it – something like Turon from the Adelaide Hills, which has a few months on lees (and some wild ferment) to provide the sort of creamy mouth-filling texture that meets the aïoli head-on.
Makes about ½ cup (125ml)
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