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Grand Aioli

Grand Aioli


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5 from 41 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Goeden
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Description

Grand Aioli is my idea of a perfect party dinner. Four different kinds of Aioli, one of them vegan, are served with a stunning spread of different vegetables and protein for dipping. Easy to prepare ahead of time and guaranteed to please everyone, this is one of my favourite dishes to serve, when I want both an impressive and healthy spread.


Ingredients

Units Scale

Aioli (Base Recipe. Makes enough for 3 portions.)

  • 3 eggs (very fresh)
  • 2 1/4 cups neutral oil such as grapeseed
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 9 fresh garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt or more to taste

Chili Aioli:

  • 1 tbsp Sriracha or another chili sauce you enjoy. More or less to taste.
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/8 tsp ancho chili powder or more to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped)

Green Herb Aioli

  • 1/2 cup 0% fat Greek yoghurt
  • 4 tbsp mixed soft herbs like dill (parsley and basil, chopped)

Cashew Aioli

  • 1 cup cashews (soaked in just boiled water for 30min)
  • 2 dates (destoned)
  • 4-6 tbsp fresh soft herbs like parsley (basil and dill, roughly torn)
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp liquid aminos or Tamari or soy sauce. Liquid Aminos are slightly sweeter so you might have to adjust the seasoning if you are using one of the other options
  • 1/2-1 cup water (start with 1/2, add more after blending if the aioli is too thick. If you keep it in the fridge, it will thicken more)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetables for dipping

  • 1 lb baby or new potatoes
  • 1-2 Hokkaido or similar squashes (depending on size)
  • 1-2 packs tender stem broccoli (I used 2 small packs)
  • 1 pack green beans (about 300g)
  • 1-2 bunches of Asparagus (depending on size)
  • 2 packs mini sweetcorn
  • 1 romaine lettuce heart
  • 1 pack radishes
  • 1 pack cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 lb carrots
  • 1 pack mini peppers (halved and deseeded)

Protein

  • 2 packs large prawns or scampi (ready cooked or raw (fry them if you got raw ones))
  • 8 eggs for boiling (use more if you have more than 8 people)

Instructions

Aioli:

  1. Start by preparing the Aioli as it benefits from some time in the fridge for the flavours to meld.
  2. Use a stick blender for a foolproof method. In a slim jar, add eggs, mustard, and lemon juice (lime juice for one batch for the chili version) at the bottom, then pour in all the oil.
  3. Lower the blender head equipped with the whisking disc, covering the egg. Switch on at full speed, keeping it still for a few seconds until mayonnaise forms.
  4. Tilt the blender diagonally and slowly move it upwards, allowing the vortex to pull in the oil. This method creates a stable mayonnaise.
  5. Mash the garlic and add it with salt to the mayonnaise. Blend again to create a smooth Aioli. Taste and add more salt ort lemon juice to taste.
  6. Do this in 3 batches, since a jar slim enough to fit your blender will likely only hold one batch of Aioli. Use lime juice instead of lemon in one portion for the chili sauce.
  7. Customize one with chili sauce and maple syrup, another with finely chopped herbs and Greek yogurt, and leave one as it is.

Cashew Aioli:

  1. Soak cashews in just-boiled water for 30 minutes. Drain and add to a high-speed blender with other ingredients.
  2. Blend until super smooth and creamy. High-speed blending ensures a satisfyingly smooth texture.

Things to Dip:

  1. Cut veggies into easy dippable pieces. Leave potatoes whole, especially if using baby potatoes.
  2. Halve and deseed squash, slice into wedges, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast at 400°F/200°C for about 25 minutes.
  3. Boil potatoes for 20-25 minutes until easily pierced with a sharp knife.
  4. Boil eggs for 7-8 minutes for waxy perfection.
  5. Clean tender stem broccoli, asparagus, and beans, leaving them whole. Steam broccoli for 3-4 minutes, asparagus for 5-10 minutes, and beans for 5-10 minutes until tender-crisp.
  6. Steam mini sweetcorn for 5-6 minutes if using.
  7. If using ready-cooked prawns, no preparation is needed. If raw, pan-fry briefly with olive oil, salt, and pepper until opaque and cooked through.

Serving:

  1. Peel eggs, slice in half lengthways, and divide Aioli into smaller serving bowls.
  2. Arrange potatoes, eggs, prawns, and vegetables on a large board or plate.
  3. Sprinkle with Maldon salt, squeeze over some lemon, and top with lemon wedges.
  4. Serve and enjoy the Grand Aioli feast!

Notes

The equipment section may contain affiliate links to products I know and love. 

Most parts of this meal can be prepared ahead of time as described above. If you do so, keep each part in a separate container in your fridge.

The Aioli will last for about 2-3 days covered in the fridge. The Cashew Aioli up to 5 days, as it doesn’t contain raw egg.

There will most likely be leftovers in form of aioli, which are amazing on sandwich, vegetables of course and any meat you might have. Cold or hot, it’s a pretty universal dip.

No nutrition calculation this time, as it depends on the vegetables used, the amount of aioli on each veg when dipping and which aioli you would use. So this has too many variables to calculate.
So I used just a general 500cal per portion as a wild estimate. Depending on how much of it you eat and the amount of aioli you spread on your veggies, this may be below or above.

  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Category: Dinner, dip, Feast, Main Course, spread
  • Method: Blender
  • Cuisine: French, Mediterranean

Nutrition

  • Calories: 500