A batch of quick aioli punches up flavor all summer

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, July 13, 2011

When it comes to summer meals, I’m always looking for ways to add the most flavor with the least amount of effort.

Which is where my recipe for quick aioli with stone ground mustard comes into play. You see, it’s the sort of sauce you can make a lot of and then have on hand for dozens of thi

ngs that are better because they’ve come into contact with it.

A classic aioli is an emulsion (like mayonnaise), created with the merging of raw egg yolks, fresh garlic and extra virgin olive oil.

The problem with the classic version is the use of raw egg yolks, which is frowned upon

from a food safety stand point by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The USDA maintains that the risk for salmonella poisoning is very real, so folks with a compromised immune system, children and pregnant women should avoid consuming them.

But aioli is so good! I started experimenting with ways to avoid the raw egg yolk. My greatest success came when I based my sauce on a good-quality commercially prepared mayonnaise.

Commercially made mayonnaise is processed in such a way that the salmonella issue doesn’t exist. So, beginning with that, I was able to incorporate fresh garlic, a splash of lemon and great olive oil, plus a healthy dollop of stone ground mustard.

You can use it throughout the summer in so many ways:

•• to flavor a vinaigrette.

• as a topping for sliced tomatoes or roasted vegetables.

• as a dip for raw vegetables.

• as a dip for cooked artichokes.

• as a dip for freshly battered and fried fish & chips.

• as a dip for freshly breaded and fried oysters (don’t forget a squeeze of lemon!).

Quick aioli with stone ground mustard

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

3 medium-sized cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 cup good-quality mayonnaise (I use Best Foods)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon stone ground mustard (I use Inglehoffer Original Stone Ground Mustard; see note)

Place the lemon juice and garlic cloves in a blender jar. Now add the mayonnaise and blend, turning the motor on and off and scraping the sides of the blender jar often, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. With the motor running, add the olive oil a teaspoon at a time, giving the sauce a chance to absorb one addition of the oil before adding the next. You may have to stop the motor and give the sauce a brief stir each time.

Scrape the sauce into a small container then stir in the mustard. The sauce will keep for weeks in the refrigerator (just like commercially made mayonnaise).

Makes a scant 1 1/4 cups.

PESTO VARIATION: At the point when you stir in the stone ground mustard, also stir in 2 tablespoons of pesto (either homemade or commercially prepared). Makes a scant 1 1/3 cups.

NOTE ON STONE GROUND MUSTARD: The Inglehoffer Original Stone Ground Mustard is prepared by Beaverton Foods in Beaverton, Ore. It’s widely distributed, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding it where most mustards are sold. If unavailable, use another brand that describes itself as being a classic whole grain mustard (which will mean it isn’t too sweet or seasoned in an unusual way).

Mesquite grilled chicken salad with Gruyere, sun-dried tomatoes and aioli with stone ground mustard

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/4 pound Black Forest ham, deli-sliced, then cut into match-stick size strips

1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese (or other good-quality Swiss cheese)

1 sweet red bell pepper, roasted and peeled, then diced (commercially prepared are okay; drain well before dicing)

1/2 cup sliced dried tomatoes, drained from the oil (reserve the oil for the vinaigrette recipe)

1-2 tablespoons capers

Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Mixed summer salad greens (I use the inner leaves from a head of romaine, combined with a variety of other fresh greens), broken into bite-sized pieces

Quick aioli with whole grain mustard (either the basic recipe or the pesto variation), see previous recipe)

Grill chicken over mesquite coals; chill until cool enough to handle (may be prepared up to 48 hours ahead and refrigerated).

Dice the chicken breasts into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine the cut-up chicken with the ham, 1 cup of the cheese, diced bell pepper, sliced dried tomatoes and the capers. Toss with the vinaigrette until all of the ingredients are well coated; chill for at least 30 minutes to blend flavors. Mixture can be made several hours ahead.

When ready to serve, arrange the greens on individual plates. Distribute the chicken mixture evenly among the salads, arranging it attractively on top of the bed of greens; garnish with a sprinkling of the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere.

The aioli with stone ground mustard may be served on the side (in individual ramekins), or you may place a healthy dollop of it on each serving and pass the rest of the sauce in a small bowl.

Makes 4 servings.

VINAIGRETTE: In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard, freshly ground black pepper, and several dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Blend well with wire whisk. Continue whisking as you add 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the oil from the jar of dried tomatoes. Adjust seasonings, adding additional salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed. May be prepared several days ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using if the olive oil has thickened.

Bruschetta with tomatoes and aioli with stone ground mustard

8 (1/2-inch thick) slices good-quality crusty Italian-style bread

About 1/2 cup of quick aioli with stone ground mustard (see recipe above)

3 ripe medium-sized tomatoes, chopped and drained

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (see note below)

1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Balsamic vinegar reduction (see note below)

Grill or toast the bread until nicely browned on both sides. Cut each piece of bread in half.

When ready to serve, spread one side of each slice with a generous slathering of the quick aioli with stone ground mustard. Combine the tomatoes, olive oil, basil and vinegar in a small bowl. Toss gently and season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Spoon the mixture onto the grilled bread. Now, for the crowning touch, if you made the balsamic vinegar reduction as directed below, then drizzle a bit of it over each bruschetta and serve immediately.

Makes 16 pieces of bruschetta.

NOTE ON OLIVE OIL: Use the fruitiest, most flavorful extra virgin olive oil you can afford, because it can really boost your offering from common to sublime!

NOTE ON BALSAMIC VINEGAR REDUCTION: This is easy to make and a delight to have during tomato season. Store the reduction in a tightly closed jar. It will keep for months and months! Use it to drizzle over tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, or to jazz up a vegetable saute or to drizzle over roasting vegetables. To turn an average balsamic vinegar into a very rich and flavorful one, pour 2 cups of balsamic vinegar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion, 1 coarsely chopped clove of garlic, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and about 10 or 12 peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer until the mixture has reduced down to about 1/2 to 1/3 cup and is thickened and somewhat syrupy. Let the mixture cool and then strain through a fine sieve (be sure and press the onions and garlic with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out all of the juicy balsamic vinegar).

Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Oregon, food writer, artist, and author of “Oregon Hazelnut Country, the Food, the Drink, the Spirit,” and four other cookbooks. Readers can contact her by email at janrd@proaxis.com, or obtain additional recipes and food tips on her blog at www.janrd.com.