Any tips on crushing garlic for alioli

condimentsgarlic

I tried making alioli at home, but in the first step (turning the garlic into a fine paste), I didn't make much progress. I chopped the garlic fairly finely first, but when I tried crushing them with a wooden spoon in a wide low mug, the little pieces just ping off.

What's the trick? Is there some way of softening them up first?

Note that I'm not making it in commercial quantities, so the amount of garlic I'm using would scarcely reach up to the blade on my immersion blender.

Best Answer

I make garlic paste quite often, using this technique I saw on Bobby Flay.

  1. Put the whole clove on the board.
  2. Lay knife flat, and smack it with your hand.
  3. Remove paper and root.
  4. Dice finely.
  5. Sprinkle with the quantity of salt your recipe calls for.
  6. With the knife relatively flat, grind the garlic into the salt with the knife. Typically, I'll make a pass in one direction with the edge on the board, leading with the spine, and then come back with the spine on the board, leading with the edge. You need a wide knife (at least a french chef's knife, cleaver or santuko) in order to keep your fingers out of danger. I apply the downward pressure with the top of my palm, with my fingers curled back.

Check this for a similar technique - http://www.howdini.com/howdini-video-6688064.html (The mincing starts around 2:40 After 5 or 6 passes, you should have a nice fine paste.

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