Grand Aioli

5 from 13 votes

Grand aioli is an elegant French dinner platter anchored by a garlicky dip surrounded by crisp veggies, halved eggs, shellfish, and crusty bread.

Prep Time45

Total Time45

Course: dinner

Cuisine: French

Servings: servings

Calories: 349kcal

Author: Sue Moran

Equipment

large platter, mine is a 12x16 oval

Ingredients

aioli

2/3 cup olive oil Note: I recommend using a mild or 'pure' olive oil as opposed to an extra virgin which can make your aioli too strong or even bitter tasting.
1 large egg Note: use a pasteurized egg if you are worried about consuming raw eggs.
3-4 cloves garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
pinch salt
a pinch of saffron, optional

grand aioli platter ~ amounts are just suggestions

8 slices toasted bread
12 cooked mussels
12 cooked shrimp
3 cooked baby golden beets, peeled, and quartered
4 cooked baby potatoes, halved
2 cooked eggs, halved or quartered
8-10 raw or lightly steamed string beans or yellow wax beans, trimmed
8-10 raw or lightly steamed thin asparagus, trimmed
4 raw baby carrots, trimmed and peeled
2 baby cucumber cut into spears
1 raw chioggia beet (candy cane beet) peeled and thinly sliced
10 radishes, any type, trimmed and left whole, or halved.
3 mini bell peppers, halved and seeded
4 cherry tomatoes
1/2 small head radicchio, cut into thin wedges Note: substitute endive leaves

Instructions

aioli sauce

To make the aioli, put the egg, oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and saffron, if using, in a small container that just fits the head of your immersion blender. Place the head of the blender at the bottom of the jar and blend. When the mixture emulsifies and becomes thick wiggle the blender head around a bit to get all the oil incorporated. Taste the aioli to adjust the lemon juice or salt. Refrigerate until chilled. Note: this can be made a day ahead.

grand aioli platter

If you would like to prep your ingredients ahead of time many of the veggies can be prepped and kept under a damp paper towel and plastic wrap in the refrigerator the morning before you are planning to serve. The eggs can be cooked at this time (do not slice in half yet) and the shellfish as well.
When you are ready to serve, place the aioli in a small bowl on your platter. Arrange your veggies, fish, and crusty bread in groups around the dip.
Serve asap while everything is nice and cold. Provide small plates and a spoon for the aioli so people can 'graze'.

Notes

An alternative to making your own aioli is to blend the garlic, lemon juice, and salt with 1 cup of ready-made mayonnaise until smooth. You can use a small food processor, or an immersion blender.

The amounts in this recipe are only suggestions, feel free to adapt.

Nutrition