Aioli

Aioli,allioli, oraïoli(/aɪˈoʊli/or/eɪˈoʊli/;ProvençalOccitan:alhòli[aˈʎɔli]oraiòli[aˈjɔli];Catalan:allioli[ˌaʎiˈɔli];Spanish:alioli[aˈljoli]) is a coldsauceconsisting of anemulsionof garlic and olive oil; it is found in the cuisines of the northwestMediterranean.
The names mean "garlicand oil" in Catalan and Provençal.It is found in the cuisines of the Mediterranean coasts ofSpain(Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands, Murcia, and eastern Andalusia) andFrance(Provence, Languedoc, Roussilon).
Some versions of the sauce are closer to a garlicmayonnaise, incorporatingegg yolksandlemon juice, whereas other versions lack egg yolk and contain more garlic. The latter gives the sauce a pastier texture, making it more laborious to produce as the emulsion is harder to stabilise.There are many variations, such as adding lemon juice or other seasonings. InFrance, it may include mustard.
InMalta, the termarjoli or ajjoliis used for a different preparation made with galletti (a type of cracker), tomato, onion, garlic, and herbs.
Like mayonnaise, aioli is anemulsionor suspension of small globules of oil and oil-soluble compounds in water and water-soluble compounds. Traditionally, aioli should not include egg, but nowadays, egg or egg yolk is the usual emulsifier.
Since about 1990, it has become common in the United States to call all flavoredmayonnaisesaioli.Purists insist that flavored mayonnaise can contain garlic, but true aioli contains garlic and no other seasoning (except salt).
In the formaioli, the word is a compound of Provençalai, meaning "garlic", andoli, meaning "oil".
TheEnglishspelling comes from the Frenchaïoli, which is an adaptation of anOccitanterm. The spelling in Occitan may bealhòli, following the classical norm, oraiòli, following theMistraliannorm.InCatalanit is spelledallioli(pronounced[ˌaʎiˈɔli]). The most common term inSpanishisalioli, an adaptation from Catalan, although it is also calledajoaceite,ajiaceite,ajolioorajaceite.It is also spelledalioliinGalician.
Garlic is crushed in amortar and pestleand emulsified with salt and olive oil.
Today, aioli is often made in afood processororblender, but some traditionalists object that this does not give the same result.
InOccitan cuisine,aioliis typically served withseafood, fishsoup, andcroutons. An example is a dish calledmerluça amb alhòli. In the Occitan Alps it is served with potatoesboiled with salt andbay laurel.
InProvençalcuisine,aiolior, more formally,le grand aïoli,aioli garni, oraïoli monstreis adishconsisting of various boiled vegetables (usuallycarrots,potatoes,artichokes, andgreen beans), poached fish (normally soakedsalt cod),snails, canned tuna, other seafood, and boiled eggs, all served withaioli. This dish is often served during the festivities on thefeast daysof the patron saint of Provençal villages and towns. It is traditional to serve it with snails forChristmas Eveand with cod onAsh Wednesday.Aïoli is so strongly associated with Provence that when the poetFrédéric Mistralstarted a regionalist Provençal-language newspaper in 1891, he called itL'Aiòli.
The Provençal cuisine fish soupbourrideis generally served withaioli.
In Spain, particularly inCatalan cuisineandValencian cuisine,allioliis often served witharròs negre,arròs a banda,fideuà, with grilled snails (cargols a la llauna), grilled meat, lamb, rabbit, vegetables, boiledcod(bacallà a la catalana, bacallà amb patates) and comes in other varieties such asallioli de codony(allioli with boiled quince, not the preserve) or allioli with boiledpear.Other commonly used vegetables are beets, fennel, celery, zucchini, cauliflower, chickpeas, and raw tomato.