Saturday, November 28, 2009

Smoked Garlic Aioli

Lynne from Cafe Lynnylu is hosting and this week I've found something new and a little different - Smoked Garlic

Smoked Garlic© by Haalo


Smoked Garlic is quite popular in France where it is known as Ail Fumé and this particular product came about from one persons love of French smoked garlic. Finding it difficult to bring it into the country, he decided to make his own.

Having waited for the start of our garlic season, this is his first batch - it has been cold smoked using a mix of fruit and nut woods for 24 hours.

This garlic should keep as well as regular fresh garlic but as it warns you in the enclosed leaflet, you must keep it in a container so the smoky aroma doesn't permeate everything. As soon as you open the little plastic packet it comes in, the wonderful smell of wood smoke fills your senses. It's the type of aroma that makes your mouth water.

The dish I'm making puts this smoked garlic front and center with an adaptation of Aioli.

Smoked Garlic© by Haalo


Smoked Garlic Aioli

1 egg yolk
1 clove, smoked garlic
sea salt flakes
finely ground white pepper
125mls neutral oil (not olive oil)
lemon juice

Take a clove of garlic and slice it finely. Sprinkle over with a few sea salt flakes and using the flat of your knife, mash the garlic with the salt flakes. The flakes are abrasive and will turn the garlic into a paste.

Place the egg yolk, the garlic paste and a dash of ground white pepper into a bowl. Whisk this mixture until combined.

The next part decides whether your aioli or mayonnaise will work out - it's the addition of the oil. It's important at the beginning to really just add a drop or two at a time until the mixture starts to thicken - you can then drizzle it at a steady pace while you whisk.

Once all the oil has been absorbed keep whisking until the mixtures looks glossy - add a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice (or a white wine vinegar if you prefer) and whisk briefly. Give it a finely taste and adjust any of the seasonings as desired.

Store this in the fridge in a sealed container.



Smoked Garlic© by Haalo


You can also add dijon mustard to the initial mixture which is usually found in traditional Aioli but as I wanted the smoked notes to come through unchallenged, I left it out. An alternative would be to use slow roasted garlic.

If you are Melbourne and are looking for this try Mow's, the potato man at Prahran Market or Rocky's Fruit and Veggies in Chapel Street, near the Jam Factory.

7 comments

  1. Oh! I will need to pay a visit to the potato man and check this out.

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  2. YUM! Love Aioli! Yours looks delicious.

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  3. You should Penny!

    Thanks Marillyn!

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  4. Oh Haalo, this sounds just divine!

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  5. Hot smoked garlic is also delicious. It's sort of like smoked roasted garlic if you can imagine that, and is very easy to make. I smoke mine in a smoker I devised for smoking sausages and fish, made from a rubbish tin (brand new, mind) and a portable gas burner.

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  6. Hello, Haalo ... I'm the guy who fell in love with smoked garlic and decided to make my own. Thanks for the plug. While I never really intended on starting a cottage industry, it seems to be growing in popularity in the month since I started. I'd really rather publish my cookbook on smoked garlic, but I have to wait until more people start using it. BTW, my cold smoker is similar to Bronwyn's hot smoker, but I never let it get over 50C and leave it in for over 24 hours, as you mentioned. Good eating!

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