Breath mints, anyone?

Next time you have to do some impromptu entertaining, instead of serving boring ole' shrimp cocktail, why not whip up some aioli? This is a consistent crowd-pleaser at our house and it takes literally 5 minutes to make. Garlic aioli is a great accompaniment to shellfish, hard boiled eggs, or raw or blanched vegetables. I make mine extra garlicky...so it must be eaten among good friends who can forgive your breath! Here's the recipe:

GARLIC AIOLI

Ingredients:

2 large cloves garlic, peeled 2 egg yolks ½ tsp. Dijon mustard 2 T water

½ tsp. salt ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ¾ cup canola oil

Directions:

1.	Cut the garlic cloves in half lengthwise and remove the germ. Place three halves of garlic into a pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Discard the water and repeat two more times, cooking the garlic until tender on the third time.

2.	Transfer the cooked garlic into a blender or food processor and add the yolks, mustard, water, salt, and remaining raw garlic clove half. Puree until well combined.

3.	While the machine is still running, add the olive oil and then the canola oil, both in slow, steady streams. The sauce will be ready when it emulsifies into a thick consistency similar to a very light mayonnaise.