Lowcountry Aïoli Food

AIOLI

Steps:

• Place garlic and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade, or in a blender. Pulse for 2 seconds. Add the egg yolk and lemon juice, and pulse on and off until blended. Turn on and begin adding the olive oil (pure first, then extra-virgin) in a thin stream. If it becomes too thick, thin it out with some room-temperature water and continue adding oil until you've used it all. Finish with pepper and (if necessary) a bit more salt.
• The reason for using 2/3 pure olive oil is to keep the flavor of the oil from becoming overpowering. This is a perfect example of how by using a fully-flavored extra virgin oil you can use much less, thereby saving money and getting better flavor.

LE GRANDE AIOLI

Steps:

• Place the garlic in a large mortar and pestle and mash well. Add the egg yolks and mash. While mashing, very slowly add the olive oil, drop by drop, to create an emulsion. When the mixture is thick and the oil is all added, season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Soak the cod in water in the refrigerator for 3 days, changing the water 2 to 4 times a day. Drain well and cut into 2-ounce pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the bay leaf and lower to a simmer. Poach the cod in the water until just cooked, about 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
• Place the cod, eggs, carrots, cauliflower, string beans, potatoes, and snails on a large platter. Drizzle with the aioli. Serve remaining aioli in a bowl.

AIOLI

Steps:

• Whether or not you are using a mortar and pestle for the mayonnaise, begin by mashing the garlic and salt together in a mortar and pestle. Mash to a smooth paste.
• Using the mortar and pestle (for egg yolks only; this is the traditional method, and will result in a very silky, creamy aioli if you do it correctly): Add the egg yolks to the mortar and beat with the pestle until smooth. Measure the grapeseed oil into a measuring cup with a spout, and drip by drip, work the oil into the egg yolks, gently but constantly stirring in one direction with the pestle. As the mayonnaise begins to emulsify, you can start adding the oil in a steady stream, but the stream must be a thin one, and you must stir constantly but not too fast. Once you have a good emulsion, you can scrape the mixture into a bowl and continue with a whisk if it's easier for you. It helps to rest the bowl on a damp towel shaped into a ring. Use up the grapeseed oil first, since it makes a better emulsion than olive oil, then continue with the olive oil. I find that once the egg yolks and oil are emulsified, it's easiest to drizzle in a tablespoonful of oil while beating, stop drizzling and really beat hard to work it in, then continue with another tablespoonful. When all of the oil has been added and the mayonnaise is thick, taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Using a food processor: Place the egg yolks or egg and egg white in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Turn it on, and begin drizzling in the grapeseed oil, then the olive oil, in a thin stream. Some food processors have little holes in the plungers meant for controlling the flow of oil into the mayonnaise. When all of the oil has been added, stop the processor and scrape in the garlic paste. Process for a few seconds, until the paste is well blended into the mixture. Taste and adjust salt. Refrigerate until ready to use. The mayonnaise will be thinner than the mortar and pestle version.

AïOLI

Steps:

• Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a pinch of salt using a large heavy knife. Whisk together yolk, lemon juice, and mustard in a bowl. Combine oils and add, a few drops at a time, to yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until all oil is incorporated and mixture is emulsified. (If mixture separates, stop adding oil and continue whisking until mixture comes together, then resume adding oil.)
• Whisk in garlic paste and season with salt and pepper. If aïoli is too thick, whisk in 1 or 2 drops of water. Chill, covered, until ready to use.

AïOLI

Steps:

• In a small bowl pour 1 tbsp of boiling water over the saffron and set aside. Put the garlic, egg yolks and mustard into a food processor or blender. Blitz into a paste and very slowly dribble in the olive oil to make a thick mayonnaise-style sauce. When everything's come together add the saffron, saffron water and lemon juice, then season to taste. The aïoli will keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.

OYSTER ROAST

Steps:

• Charcoal grill method for sausages and oysters:
• Prepare grill for cooking with about 7 pounds of briquets. (You'll need about 15 pounds of briquets total.)
• Prick bratwursts and chorizo in several places with a fork, then grill, covered, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Scatter about 12 additional briquets over glowing coals and replace rack.
• Fold burlap into a triple layer slightly smaller than grill surface and soak completely with water. Put 3 to 4 dozen oysters directly on grill rack, cover with wet burlap, and roast, without grill cover, until shells just begin to open (about 1/16 inch) or give slightly when squeezed with tongs, about 10 minutes. (If necessary, sprinkle more water over burlap to keep moist.) Serve oysters as they open, removing them with tongs, and roast any unopened oysters a few minutes longer, replacing burlap. Roast remaining oysters in 2 or 3 batches in same manner, adding about 12 more briquets between batches to keep fire hot and resoaking burlap thoroughly.
• Gas grill method:
• Follow the charcoal grill method for sausages and oysters, or use a roasting pan and foil for oysters and follow stovetop-oven method.
• Stovetop-oven method for sausages and oysters:
• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Heat 2 heavy ridged grill pans or skillets over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook sausages, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Heat a 17- by 12-inch roasting pan (2 to 3 inches deep) on bottom shelf of oven until very hot. Remove from oven and quickly fill with 3 to 4 dozen oysters and 1 cup water, then cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil. Roast oysters until shells just begin to open (about 1/16 inch) or give slightly when squeezed with tongs, about 10 minutes. Serve oysters as they open, removing them with tongs, and roast any unopened oysters a few minutes longer, covered with foil. Roast remaining oysters in 2 or 3 batches in same manner.
• Steam clams while oysters roast on grill or in oven:
• Steam clams in beer in a 6- to 8-quart pot over moderately high heat, covered, until clams open, about 10 minutes (discard any unopened clams after 15 minutes). Transfer clams as opened to a platter. Carefully pour clam broth into cups, avoiding any sediment, for dunking clams if still sandy.

AIOLI

Steps:

• Combine garlic, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor and let sit a minute or two. Add eggs and blend until combined. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. You can use a mortar and pestle if you prefer.
• Taste for seasoning and add more salt and lemon juice if needed.

REAL AIOLI

Steps:

• Place garlic slices in a mortar with kosher salt. Mash with the pestle into a fine paste, 4 or 5 minutes. Mix in lemon juice. Add a teaspoon of olive oil; stir and mash until oil is incorporated. Add another teaspoon and mix in thoroughly. Continue incorporating olive oil, teaspoon by teaspoon, mashing and stirring until aioli thickens up. If the aioli gets thicker than you like, add a few drops of water.

GRAND AIOLI

Steps:

• Place potatoes in a medium pot; add cold water to cover by 1". Season with salt, bring to a boil, and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl of ice water and chill until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry, reserving bowl of ice water.
• Meanwhile, bring another medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook until crisp-tender, 2-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to ice water; reserve hot water in pot. Chill beans until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry, reserving bowl of ice water.
• Return water in green bean pot to a boil, carefully add eggs, and cook 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water; reserve hot water in pot. Chill eggs until cold, about 5 minutes. Peel; set aside, reserving bowl of ice water.
• Return water to a boil, add shrimp, and cook just until pink, about 3 minutes. Transfer to ice water and chill until cold, about 3 minutes. Transfer to paper towels and pat dry.
• Meanwhile, pulse garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, and mustard; season with salt, then process to combine. With the motor running, slowly pour in grapeseed oil a few drops at a time. After about 1/4 cup has been added, scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to add grapeseed oil with the motor running, then add olive oil and process until combined. If sauce is too thick, add water 1 Tbsp. at a time. Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if needed.
• Transfer aioli to a serving bowl. Arrange potatoes, green beans, shrimp, halved eggs, endive, romaine, radishes, cucumbers, and tomatoes on a platter and serve alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Potatoes, green beans, and eggs can be cooked 2 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill. Aioli can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.