Aioli

[ahy-oh-lee, ey-oh-; Fr. a-yaw-lee]

Aioli (Provençal Occitan alhòli, Catalan allioli) is a sauce made of garlic and olive oil. Normally egg is also added for ease of mixing. There are many variations, such as the addition of mustard. In France, aioli is traditionally served with seafood, fish soup, and croutons. It is usually served at room temperature. The name aioli (alhòli) comes from Provençal alh 'garlic' (< Latin allium) + òli 'oil' (< Latin oleum).

Aioli is, like mayonnaise, an emulsion or a suspension of small globules of oil and oil soluble compounds in water and water soluble compounds. Egg yolk is a commonly used emulsifier but mustard and garlic both have emulsion-producing properties. Classic aioli is made without egg, though many aioli recipes use it.

Traditional aioli

In Provence, aioli (or more formally, Le Grand Aïoli) also designates a complete dish consisting of various boiled vegetables (usually carrots, potatoes, and green beans), boiled fish (normally, desalted salt cod), and boiled eggs served with the aioli sauce.

The garlic is often ground with salt in a mortar and pestle to lead to a smooth aioli. Egg yolks, garlic and Dijon mustard (if adding this as a common variation on the basic aioli), are combined first with a whisk, and the oil is added slowly with whisking and the lemon juice is added slowly with whisking to create the emulsion. The additions of the dissimilar ingredients must be slow to start and then can be faster once the initial emulsion has formed.

Aioli has become popular as an accompaniment in Australia, often served alongside french fries.

Other forms of aioli

Similar sauces are found elsewhere in the region.

Allioli

Allioli (from all i oli, Catalan for "garlic and oil", , popularised as Alioli, or Ali-oli from the Italian) is a typical paste-like cold sauce of the Balearic Islands, Valencia and Catalonia. It is made by pounding garlic with olive oil and salt in a mortar until a smooth texture is obtained. Traditionally, it differed from Provençal aioli in that it does not use egg but most contemporary preparation instructions suggest the use of a small quantity to allow faster and easier mixing. The mix of eggs, oil and garlic is pejoratively referred as mayonnaise with garlic.

Aillade

Aillade is the name used in southern France for two different garlic-based condiments. In Provence, it is a garlic-flavored vinaigrette, while in some other areas, it is a form of garlic-flavored mayonnaise. In the latter meaning, it is a synonym for aioli.

Note: Many restaurants refer to any flavored mayonnaise as an aioli. This is an incorrect definition unless the resulting sauce includes the addition of garlic.