This all-purpose dip really does it all! Use it in place of hummus on a veggie tray, sub it in for your usual chip dip, or smear it on your favourite sandwich. It also works well in a marinade or salad dressing. Based on the traditional Mediterranean garlic sauce (“toum” is Arabic for “garlic”), this aioli relies on delicious and immune-supporting garlic, along with neutral and heart-healthy avocado oil.
Garlic’s nourishing, antimicrobial action is deeply rooted in herbal medicine and it has been deeply revered for centuries, making it a great way to make cold and flu season a little more tasty! To maximize its health benefits, crushed garlic should be allowed to sit for 10-15 minutes prior to cooking. Scientists have found that this triggers an enzyme (alliinase) reaction that boosts the healthy organosulphur compounds in garlic.1
The key to getting the proper “mayo-like” consistency is the emulsification process and using an immersion blender is a fast and easy way to make this happen. If you don’t already have one, they are well-worth the investment as they make whipping up hot nut milks for a latte, blending a cream soup right in the pot, and making your own mayo a breeze!
Ingredients
- 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed (any woody and green bits removed)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 c avocado oil
- 3-4 Tbsp ice water
Instructions
1. Place crushed garlic cloves, lemon juice, and 3 Tbsp of water in a 500 mL wide-mouth mason jar.
2. Using an immersion hand blender, blend mixture until garlic is well-pureed. Add in salt and oil.
3. With the blender at the bottom of the jar, blend on high for about 20 seconds, until the mixture begins to thicken and turn white. Slowly move the blender up and down (making sure not to raise above the liquid line) in order evenly emulsify the oil.
4. Refrigerate for up to a month.
For references visit ecoparent.ca/extras/SPRING21.
