Green Goddess Grand Aioli
Whether you’re looking for a showstopping party bite or an effortless grazing dinner on a steamy summer night, this classic Provençal meal is one of our favorites. The silky, rather garlicky mayonnaise is blended with a mix of tender green herbs and a dab of anchovy paste for a green goddess–inspired dipping sauce. Serve it with a platter of vibrant peak-season produce, steamed room-temperature seafood like mussels or plump shrimp, and a few ever-so-undercooked hard-boiled eggs. Lay the whole spread out on the table with some good crusty bread and a chilled bottle (or two) of white wine, and you’ll be summering as the French do!
Ingredients
Aioli
- 1 cup loosely packed mixed herbs (such as tarragon, dill, parsley, basil, and mint)
- 2 large egg yolks (see Notes)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste or 1 jarred anchovy fillet
- 1 garlic clove finely grated
- ½ cup neutral oil (such as vegetable or grapeseed)
- ½ cup olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dippers (for serving)
- Chilled vegetables (such as blanched green beans, blanched asparagus, radishes, cucumber spears, carrot sticks, gem lettuces, cherry tomatoes, and boiled fingerling potatoes)
- Steamed tail-on jumbo shrimp and/or mussels
- Halved hard-boiled eggs (see Notes)
Instructions
- In a blender, puree the herbs, egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, anchovy paste, and garlic until almost smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- With the blender running, slowly stream in both oils until the aioli is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape the aioli into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while you prepare your dippers.
- On a large platter, arrange cut-up raw and blanched vegetables, halved hard-boiled eggs, and cooked seafood around the bowl of aioli. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
If you are concerned about the raw egg yolks in the aioli, pasteurized eggs are a safer alternative. Or you can skip the eggs and oils altogether and use store-bought mayonnaise. In a food processor, puree the herbs, lemon juice, mustard, anchovy paste, and garlic with 1 cup of mayonnaise until smooth.
For the perfect hard-boiled egg, bring a medium pot of water to a steady boil. Gently lower in 4 to 6 large eggs and cook for 10 minutes over moderately-high heat. Transfer to an ice bath and let cool for 2 minutes. Drain and peel while still warm.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
