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SAVOURY

An authentic - Grand Aïoli Provençal

This is a traditional Provençal recipe originating from the city of Marseille. The Grand Aïoli brings together all the flavours and aromas typical of Provence. We often call Aïoli mayonnaise in the UK, but the traditional “Grand Aïoli Provençal” is a complete dish. Between land and sea, the dish combines colourful vegetables, whelks, mussels, cod, squid and boiled eggs accompanied by the famous garlic sauce of the same name. 

In my version, I use prawns and halibut – always from a sustainable source – together with seasonal vegetables like asparagus, green beans, new potatoes, endives, radishes and artichokes.

I like my Aïoli strong so I use extra virgin olive oil and plenty of garlic, but if you prefer a milder taste, you could reduce the amount of garlic and mix 1/2 and 1/2 with a an oil like rapeseed.

Finally, I love a little saffron on the top – not only does it look fabulous, but when you dip your ingredients into it, it tastes delicious too!

  • Prep Time45 min
  • Cook Time20 min
  • Total Time1 hr 5 min
  • Serving Size6 - 8
  • Cuisine
    • French
  • Course
    • Appetizer

Ingredients

  • 800 g Thick halibut fillets
  • 8 Large prawn (pre-cooked)
  • 4 Large artichokes
  • 1 Large bunch of asparagus
  • 1 Bunch of radishes
  • 6 Medium carrots
  • 200 g French Beans
  • A head of cauliflower, chopped in large florets
  • 2 Red Endives
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Sprigs of thyme
  • 8 Potatoes
  • 4 Boiled eggs
  • 2 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Micro herbs (optional)

For the Aïoli

  • 6 Crushed garlic cloves
  • ¼ Tsp. Sea salt
  • 2 Egg yolks
  • 2 Tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Few strands of saffron

Method

1

Prepare the Aïoli: peel the cloves of garlic, cut them in half and crush. In a small bowl mix garlic and salt until completely smooth. Add the egg yolks, and pour the olive oil in a continuous stream stirring with a hand whisk until you get a normal mayonnaise consistency. Add the lemon juice and stir in until mixed thoroughly. Taste for salt and acidity – adjust to taste – keep refrigerated until serving.

2

Peel the hard first layer of the bottom leaves from the artichokes and peel the hard skin of the stem. Boil the artichokes in a pan of salted water adding the rest of the squeezed lemon from the aioli into the water (This will prevent them changing colour). The artichokes are cooked when the stems are soft and you can easily insert a small knife into the heart.

3

Put another large pan of water on to boil for the remaining vegetables. Peel the carrots – you can leave a little of the green stalk on as it looks pretty – and add to the water together with the cauliflower florets – cook for 15 minutes.

4

Snap the tough stem off the asparagus and trim the top and bottom of the beans and add to carrots and cauliflower. Cook for a further 6-8 minutes.

5

Poach the fish in boiling water seasoned with salt, pepper, the bay leaf and a 2 sprigs of thyme.

6

Serve the fish and vegetables warm with the radishes, the endives and the prawns on a big plate with the Aïoli decorated with few strands of saffron and micro herbs to dip them into.

Enjoy… Bon appetit!  ♥♥♥