Catalan Allioli

Add salt to the mortar, then the peeled cloves of garlic (the salt will help the garlic to stick). Grind the garlic until it is completely smooth. This is perhaps the most tedious step and you may be tempted to leave a few fibers or clumps. Do not give up, but continue to grind and it will become smooth with no remaining fibers.

Once your garlic is smooth, begin to add the olive oil one drop at a time, allowing each drop to be fully incorporated before adding the other. Always turn the pestle in the same direction. Once an emulsion starts to form, add the olive oil in the finest stream possible (these Dripless Cap and Pour Spouts work great for this), continually grinding. If you do not feel comfortable adding the full cup of olive oil, start with smaller batches and add more as you gain experience with the recipe. When the oil just starts to pool at the bottom, stop. Your emulsion should be the consistency of mayonnaise. Serve with all types of grilled and roasted meats, vegetable, fish, potatoes, or simply spread on bread!

You will find recipes that use immersion blenders or food processors, which you are welcome to try, but the results will not quite be the same. Patiently creating this emulsion with the mortar and pestle is in fact a rewarding joy in itself. Of course, the ultimate reward is tasting the incredible result. Do not be discouraged when the emulsion ‘breaks’ (olive oil pools and the mixture is clumpy, not smooth) some, or even most, of the time, as it did with me. This ‘broken’ Allioli is equally delicious, can be used in a variety of recipes (think mashed potatoes), or served as is, it will hardly be hailed as anything but delicious!

Recipe and photo by Jennifer Thornton, Olive Oil Specialist at The Olive Tap.