Creole Aioli Recipes

SPICY CREOLE AIOLI

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl and stir until fully combined.
• Serve immediately, or for optimal flavor, allow the aioli to chill for a minimum of 1 hour to allow the flavors to set.

BASIC CREOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in celery, onion, green bell pepper, carrot, and garlic; cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• Stir tomatoes with their juice, water, chicken bouillon cubes, and bay leaves into the vegetable mixture.
• Stir in red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, saffron, oregano, basil, thyme, orange zest, clam juice, and white wine.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the flavors have blended, at least 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Allow the sauce to cool completely.
• To store, pour into pint glass canning jars, cover with lids and rings, and place into freezer. Sauce can be frozen up to 3 months before using.

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.

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.

CREOLE AIOLI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take a piece of aluminum foil about 12 inches long and fold it in half. Place the garlic in the center, and drizzle with olive oil. Fold the foil around the cloves to form a sealed packet. Roast the packet until the cloves are soft and a deep brown color, about 20 minutes. Mash the cooked cloves to a smooth paste. (If you wish to make extra garlic paste, it can be stored in a jar, covered with oil and refrigerated, for about a week.)
• In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 teaspoon garlic paste with the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Store refrigerated.

CRISPY HOME FRIES WITH PIMENTO AIOLI

Steps:

• For the fries: Fill a large Dutch oven or a heavy bottomed saucepan two-thirds of the way with the oil. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.
• Add 2 quarts water with 2 tablespoons salt in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, bringing the water back to a boil, and cook, about 5 minutes. The potatoes will be soft on the outside while still firm in the center. Drain in a colander and add to a large bowl to toss with the cornstarch and a heavy pinch of salt.
• Add the potatoes to the hot oil a few at a time, stirring and flipping constantly until they are golden brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Remove to the wire rack, sprinkle with salt and repeat with the remaining potatoes.
• For the pimento aioli: Add the mayonnaise, pimentos, red wine vinegar, garlic, chipotle and paprika to a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Add potatoes to a serving bowl and serve with the aioli drizzled over the top and on the side for dipping.

CRAB CAKES WITH CREOLE MUSTARD AIOLI AND GRILLED CORN, RED ONION & RED PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• For the crab cakes: To a large bowl, add the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, Worcestershire sauce, seafood seasoning, egg, lemon zest and juice and chives. Mix thoroughly to combine. Add the saltine cracker crumbs. Add the crabmeat. Gently fold the crab into the mixture, being careful not to break up the meat too much.
• Form the mixture into four equal-sized crab cakes. Preheat a large saute pan over medium-high heat with some canola oil until it shimmers. Gently place the crab cakes into the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, and cook until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• For the salad: Preheat a grill pan over high heat. Place the corn and onions onto the grill pan and grill until charred, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip, then cook until charred and the onions are softened, another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the corn kernels from the cobs and dice the grilled onions. Set aside.
• Place the red bell pepper onto an open flame on your stovetop. Cook, flipping occasionally, until completely black and charred, about 5 minutes. (If you don't have a gas stovetop, you can broil the pepper in the oven on high, turning occasionally, until charred.) Transfer to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam until the skin pulls away, about 10 minutes. Remove the skin from the bell pepper and rinse under water to ensure all of the black char is removed. Remove the stem, ribs and seeds from the roasted pepper and dice.
• To a large bowl, add the corn kernels, onions, roasted peppers, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, red wine vinegar, red pepper flakes and kosher salt to taste. Toss to combine. In a separate bowl, add the arugula, lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and kosher salt to taste. Toss to combine.
• For the aioli: To a bowl, add the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, cornichons, cornichon juice, shallots and kosher salt to taste. Mix to combine.
• To serve, place the arugula onto each plate and nestle some of the corn, red onion and red pepper salad next to it. Top with a crab cake and drizzle some of the aioli around the crab cake. Enjoy!

CREOLE SCALLOP CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Place scallops in a food processor; cover and pulse until just pureed. Fold into egg mixture., In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, parsley and pepper. Drop 2 tablespoons scallop mixture into crumb mixture. Gently coat and shape into a 1/2-in.-thick patty. Repeat with remaining mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, apple juice and seasonings. Cover and refrigerate until serving., Heat a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in oil in batches until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Serve with aioli. If desired, top with additional fennel fronds.

CRUSTED BAKED FISH WITH AIOLI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Place fish on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray; brush with half the dressing. Mix remaining dressing, cracker crumbs, basil, garlic and pepper; sprinkle over fish.
• Bake 10 to 12 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork. Meanwhile, mix mayo, seafood seasoning, lemon zest and juice until blended.
• Serve fish with mayo mixture.