There is a sauce that elevates garlic to the highest of high. Toum. Lebanese garlic sauce.
Many years ago, when I was a restaurant critic, I had the words to describe this amazing thing-to-dip-food-into. Now? I'll present it and let you find the words.
Toum.
It’s rich — salt, oil and garlic. It’s got a little acid going on so it’s not cloyingly greasy. It has a soft, unctuous mouth feel. But now, instead of describing it I feel I must urge anyone with a blender to make it. It’s good and it’s messy.
Plus, it’s difficult enough t hat the hard work = better sauce.*
It’s an emulsion, so you’ll need a good blender.**
Toum
Ingredients:
1/3 cup garlic cloves
1 cup grapeseed oil (chill half)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
1/4 cup very cold water
Process the garlic, lemon, mustard and cold water in said blender. Scrape down the sides of the blender bowl. The mix should be slightly chunky, mostly smooth. Set the blender on low and really (r-e-a-l-l-y) slowly drizzle in the cold oil. Add a fat pinch of salt, scrape the sides of the blender again, and add as much more oil as is needed to form a thick sauce.
When you nail this sauce, it will change your life. And your food.
I drizzled it over a hard cooked egg with greens. So delicious.
Bon Appetit!
XOXO
Love will win.
Nancy
*This is a scientific thing. The more difficult the recipe, the greater the chance that it’ll be amazing. (not really)
**Although I am so sorry my mother-in-law Jean Caldwell died, I am tickled that her daughter Catherine gifted me her mother's Vitamix. Red Vitamix.
