Traditional Catalan Garlic and Oil Sauce (Allioli a la Catalana)
Allioli is an incredibly popular and versatile sauce that is eaten across Spain with fish, meat and vegetables. This recipe is the real thing—allioli the old-fashioned way, made with a mortar and pestle. It's perfect with the grilled meats and sausages that are at the heart of Catalan cooking. But it's not just the taste that makes this sauce so incredible; it's the process. It's hard to believe that olive oil and garlic can come together to create something so rich and buttery. It may take a lot of work, but a little goes a long way.Plus: More Grilling Recipes and Tips
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Recipe Summary
Ingredients
Directions
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José's tips: It's hard to think that, when you start crushing the garlic, it will ever turn into something as dense and smooth as allioli. But don't give up. It's worth the extra time and effort to see the oil and garlic come together before your eyes. Just make sure you're adding the olive oil slowly, drop by drop. Keep moving the pestle around the mortar in a circular motion and keep dreaming of the thick, creamy sauce at the end of it all.