drv@eisx.UUCP (Dennis Vogel) (05/31/85)
Recently I tried the recipe for Aioli from the Garlic Lovers
Cookbook and had a few problems. I'd like to know if others
have tried this recipe and had success or failure.
My specific problem was that the stuff didn't thicken no
matter how long I beat it. I used a hand mixer rather than
the blender approach described in the recipe. The recipe
warned about adding the oil too quickly to the other
ingredients and I tried to avoid that. Must it be added
painfully slowly? I've never tried making anything like
this before and I may have added the oil too quickly but
just the same I would think that beating for a while would
thicken it. I don't have the recipe in front of me now and
I don't recall if there were any specific instructions about
temperature of the ingredients but, could that have been a
problem?
Many thanks if you've tried this and can tell me what might
have gone wrong. It sounds like a delicious dip and I'd
sure like to get a batch to come out right.
Dennis Vogel
AT&T Information Systems
S. Plainfield, NJlewish@acf2.UUCP (Henry M. Lewis) (06/02/85)
> Recently I tried the recipe for Aioli from the Garlic Lovers > Cookbook . . . > My specific problem was that the stuff didn't thicken no > matter how long I beat it. I used a hand mixer rather than > the blender approach described in the recipe. The recipe > warned about adding the oil too quickly to the other > ingredients and I tried to avoid that. Must it be added > painfully slowly? I've never tried making anything like > this before and I may have added the oil too quickly but > just the same I would think that beating for a while would > thicken it. I don't have the recipe in front of me now and > I don't recall if there were any specific instructions about > temperature of the ingredients but, could that have been a > problem? I am not familiar with this particular recipe, but I assume it resembles other aiolis and mayonnaises. The oil must indeed be added painfully slowly, and if this is not done, no amount of beating will thicken the mixture. (The oil must be absorbed gradually by the egg yolks; too much oil at once encapsulates the yolk particles and prevents further absorption. It is the emulsion resulting from the absorption that thickens the sauce.) At first, add by a rapid stream of drops--only the last drop of oil should be visible in the mixture. When it begins to thicken, you may add the oil a bit faster, in a very thin stream. When at least half of the oil has been added, speed up again, if you dare--at this point small streaks of oil may safely appear. Don't speed up too much, or the whole mess will curdle. If this recipe is intended to be made in a blender, it probably includes a whole egg as well as egg yolks. This is to SLOW DOWN the process of emulsification, which would otherwise clog the blender blades! If using a hand or stand beater, use yolks only--substitute one yolk for the one whole egg. Some experts recommend room-temperature ingredients, but I have used cold yolks with no problem. --Hank Lewis ...!ihnp4!cmcl2!acf2!lewish
ellen@ucla-cs.UUCP (06/05/85)
Recipes i've read for mayonnaise and aioli say to add the oil * DROP BY DROP * This definitely qualifies as * PAINFULLY SLOWLY * And from what i can tell, no amount of beating will thicken the sauce if the oil has been added too quickly. Making this correctly will teach you the Franco-Zen art of Cuisinal Patience of Cosmic Proportions. bon (o-dori) appetite