Wasabi Aioli is absolutely delicious and easy to make.
The word Aioli conjures up in my mind a lazy lunch outside a Greek Taverna, overlooking a beautiful sunlit picture perfect fishing village harbour with a deep clear blue sea in the distance.
Just seeing the picture reminds me of the lazy holiday in the sun. Enjoying the food and wine and friendliness of the locals. Makes me wonder why I came back to work. 🙂
Anyway, onto this recipe.
The main difference between a mayonnaise and an Aioli is the fact that Aioli ALWAYS contains garlic AND is made with Olive Oil.
The recipe I am going to share today uses a blender or food processor. My French aunts and Grandmother would turn over in their graves with the idea of making Aioli (or mayonnaise for that matter) with anything else apart from love, elbow grease and a fork in an earthenware bowl. 🙁
Here are the ingredients you will need for making Wasabi Aioli. You will also need a blender or food processor to do the hard work of whisking the ingredients together to get the velvety smooth texture that you want.
One word before we dive it: Aioli is made with raw eggs, which, however small a chance, can carry the risk of salmonella or other nasties. If you are concerned then use pasteurised eggs if making this recipe.
How eggs are pasteurised.
- The producer start with clean, farm-fresh eggs from USDA approved, certified and inspected farms. All eggs normally reach the processor within hours of being laid.
- The eggs are then submerged in all-natural water bath, where computer-controlled temperature zones monitor and assure accurate pasteurisation.
- The combination of time and temperature heats the eggs in their shells to the exact temperature needed to destroy all bacteria, exceeding established food safety standards—without cooking the egg.
- After pasteurisation, the eggs are sealed with an FDA-approved, food-grade wax coating to prevent contamination and preserve product freshness.
- After pasteurisation, the eggs are dried, cooled, and then stamped with a , which identifies them as pasteurised.
- The newly marked eggs are packaged in retail or food service packs, dated, labeled, and stored under refrigeration below 45°F.
Right, now we have got our public service announcement out of way.
Ingredients list for Wasabi Aioli (makes about 1.5 cups – 360mls)
- 1 large egg (pasteurised or otherwise)
- 2 teaspoon Wasabi paste freshly made up from Namida® 100% Pure Wasabi Powder.
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 cup Olive Oil, with more on standby if needed
Method for making Wasabi Aioli in a blender or food processor.
- Put all ingredients except the oil in the blender. If you just want basic mayonnaise, skip the garlic.
- Pulse the blender until the ingredients are combined. Don’t forget to keep the lid on, otherwise you might get an eyeful (and Wasabi and Lemon Juice hurt in the eye). 🙁
- Now, with the lid open or completely off, slowly drizzle in the oils while the machine is running on a slow speed. Keep blending until the mixture is nice and thick, adding extra oil if necessary. This shouldn’t even take a couple of minutes, though you may have to pause to scrape down the sides. When done, taste and add any additional seasonings to your liking.
Congratulations: You’ve just made Wasabi Aioli. This stuff works as an excellent spread on sandwiches and burgers, and even as a dip for veggies. You can also experiment with other ingredients, such as cayenne pepper for some more kick or even dried herbs such as rosemary. Leftovers can be refrigerated in a sealed, airtight container, but for no more than two days. It always taste best when you make it fresh and eat it all in one sitting. You can make it up before a party though so you are not working in the kitchen during the party. 🙂
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