Recipe(tried): About All-i-oli, Allioli, Alioli and Aioli

AIOLI:

Dear Karen: Just at the beginning when I discovered what was our beloved Kitchen Link I wrote an article about this marvelous sauce. There are several examples of Ali oli, but you can do the sauce with more or less garlic cloves, adding fresh herbs like cilantro or fresh parsley or maybe with just a hint of sugar, but it is delightful and as I said before, habit forming. Here is the posting with several recipes. I will be delighted to add any necessary information.

ABOUT ALL-I-OLI, ALLIOLI, ALIOLI AND AIOLI

If we compare some of our classic sauces with early European and Mediterranean creations, we immediately identify common roots, ingredients and preferences. In Puerto Rico, where we have so many wonderful "pescader as" or "marisquer as" (fresh fish restaurants who are also fresh fish providers and distributors for stores, supermarkets and for the general public), the ALIOLI is frequently served, prepared with the addition of approximately 1/2 cup of chopped "cilantrillo" (Chinese parsley). The effect is stunning, because the garlic mayonnaise takes a wonderful very light green color, and an appetizing aroma, less suggestive of garlic than his European cousins.

ALIOLI in Puerto Rico, serves both as a Sauce and in the "marisquer as" is served with French bread, crackers or crisp fresh vegetables, as a delicious dip. Our ALIOLI served as name for a very famous restaurant in PR during the 80th's, property of Chef Alfredo Ayala, which was located at the Hotel Excelsior, and which catered to a very distinguished clientele. I am sure many of you had the opportunity of visiting and enjoying it.

While searching for the perfect recipe for my "Boiled Shrimps with Alioli Sauce" which I served as one of the appetizers in my Three Kings Day Dinner, I had the opportunity to read extensively about the Sauce origins and about the marvelous different versions of this ancient sauce. Here is the product of my investigation, which, I am sure, will give you a motive to try it. It is worth it!

Elizabeth Lambert Ort z, in her book "The Food of Spain and Portugal (1989), in describing ALLIOLI (garlic mayonnaise), mentions that "although there are many versions of ALLIOLI, Catalu a claims the original classic as one of its own. It is undoubtedly the most powerful, consisting solely of garlic, lemon juice or vinegar and oil. Most versions have egg yolks, some have breadcrumbs and potatoes, others mustard or crushed tomatoes. It is not surprising that there are so many variations, as this is an ancient sauce with recipes going back to the tenth century, in Spain. Gastronomic authorities claim that it was introduced into Spain by the Romans, from its original home in Egypt. The name is derived from the Latin ALLIUM (garlic) and OLEUM (oil) and turns up in Provence as the famed AIOLI, a dish of boiled salt cod, boiled potatoes and assorted green vegetables, eggs, snails, and so on, with the accompanying sauce. This ALLIOLI goes well with fish, meat, vegetables and salad.".

Mrs. Lambert's traditional recipe is for garlic lovers only:

1/2 large head of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
1 cup olive oil at room temperature
1/2 tsp salt

Put the garlic, lemon juice and salt in a blender, adding the oil gradually, with the motor running. VARIATIONS: Put the garlic (8 large cloves, crushed); 1/2 tsp salt; 2 large egg yolks, 1 tb lemon juice in the blender. Add the oil gradually with the motor running. To this, after it has the consistency of mayonnaise, you can add 2 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and mashed.

Mrs. Lambert also describes another form of ALLIOLI as AJO ACEITE (Andaluc a) and AJOLIO (Aragon). The sauce can be served with meat, poultry, fish, eggs or vegetables, and in Andaluc a they use breadcrumbs instead of potatoes. The following recipe produces 2 cups:

3 garlic cloves crushed
8 oz freshly cooked mashed potatoes
Salt and ground pepper
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup olive oil

In a blender, or with a rotary or hand electric blender, add garlic, potatoes, salt and pepper and egg yolks. Gradually add oil. Should have mayonnaise consistency.

On the other hand, Colman Andrews, in his book Catal n Cuisine (1988), mentions that "Catal n cuisine is built around four basic sauces: Allioli, Sofregit, Picada and Samfaina the ALLIOLI is the all purpose tabletop relish, and in one form or another, it can go on or into almost anything-seafood, noodle and rice dishes, soups, stews, vegetables and snails. It is all but obligatory with grilled meats, specially pork, rabbit and chicken. It even gets spread on plain bread or crackers. It can be simultaneously Thickened and flavored, for instance with honey (Majorca and some parts of Catalunia), and boiled potatoes or tomatoes. In France, (aillade a la toulousaine), it includes blanched, pulverized walnuts. In the Pyrenees it is sometimes elaborated with 2 small ripe pears or apples, and is a superb accompaniment to grilled rabbit, chicken and pork ".

Barbara Norman's version (The Spanish Cookbook-1966) gives her classic catal n recipe, with bread. (1 cup sauce)

6 peeled and crushed garlic cloves
the center of one slice white bread
1/2 tsp lemon juice or vinegar
1 cup olive oil at room temperature
pinch of sugar
pinch of salt

The addition of bread allows the use of less garlic. Prepare in blender by blending solid ingredients and seasonings and adding the olive oil gradually with the motor running.

Penelope Casas, in her book Delicioso, the Regional Cooking of Spain (1996), mentions that LLIOLI is guaranteed to give a great taste to just about anything that it accompanies, but it is particularly nice with fish. Serves 4.:

2 lbs monkfish, cut in 4 portions
Slat and ground pepper
ALLIOLI;
8 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp salt
2 egg yolks or 1/4 cup egg substitute
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup olive oil

Arrange the fish pieces in a shallow, lightly greased baking dish, preferably earthenware. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the garlic and salt in a mortar and mash to a paste. Transfer to a processor, add the egg yolks and lemon juice, and beat a few seconds. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil until a mayonnaise is formed. Spoon some ALLIOLI over the fish (save the rest for other purposes), place in a 450 F oven, and bake 10 minutes to each inch of thickness.

In the Silver Palate Cookbook (1979), Mrs. Russo and Mrs. Lukins describe a wonderful AIOLI Platter. "In Provence, feast days are often celebrated by a lusty community meal in which poached fish, cooked vegetables and a garlicky AIOLI sauce are the main components. This same feast, in smaller quantities, can become a perfect supper for guests who linger after drinks. The colors are intense, the flavors powerful. AIOLI brings Provence to your buffet.".

VEGETABLES, FISH AND BEEF FOR AIOLI PLATTERS (12 portions)

1 double batch AIOLI SAUCE
6 small artichokes, boiled or vinegared
7 lbs cod filets, poached
1 lb beef carpaccio
1/2 lb frozen snowpeas, blanched
1/2 lbs green beans, blanched
1 lb carrots, peeled, sliced and blanched
3 lbs coliflower florets, blanched
1 lb chickpeas cooked
3 large red peppers, sliced
1 lb small potatoes, boiled
6 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and sliced in half
4 tb small, drained capers
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantrillo or parsley.

Spoon some Sauce over vegetables and fish and meat in 12 individual one portion platters. Each plate must include some of everything. Garnish with capers and parsley or cilantrillo. Pass more Sauce in a saucer.

BON APPETTIT!