Le grand aïoli…

I was so happy to be invited to attend an interesting cooking class last week, this is something I’ve been meaning to do during my stay. However, when the chef/ instructor told us that we would be preparing “Le grande aïoli” I had mixed feelings. This is a dish I love, know and make regularly already, so I was thinking it would be nice to learn something new. At the end of the day, however, I was so pleased that this was the meal. I learned so much more about this South of France dish that I love, and plenty of ways to make it even better.

It was also very interesting to learn that this meal is traditionally served for Christmas Eve dinner in France. I can see why this would be a good meal for a Christmas Eve supper, a time when people may be sneaking in and out of the room to wrap gifts. It is a lovely, satisfying meal, but also informal and one that can be enjoyed at a leisurely pace because all of the components taste good served hot, cold or at room temperature. I actually love to serve this for Sunday lunch/ supper, because people can eat when they are ready, before a swim, after a drink, etc. It’s also a great spread to lay out when people may be coming and going on different schedules.

Here is Le grand aïoli I did for a Sunday lunch recently, at chez moi in Eze bord de Mer. I don’t know why that GIANT chunk of butter is in the center of my Sunday lunch aïoli buffet, (maybe that is just a French thing :). I always add a platter of sliced filet of beef to my aïoli spread, but learned this is not typical {I still recommend it, however}. Most traditionally, only Salt Cod is used. Being near the sea, salt cod has long been a staple on this coastline. It was also a popular trade item.

Here’s some salt cod I saw at the market in Ventmigllia, Italy yesterday. To prepare salt cod, it must be reconstituted in water for 2 days. Our chef/ instructor taught us a way to enjoy the the added flavor and firmness of a salted fish, but using a fresh fish fillet, and in only an hours time.

The class was taught by Rosa Jackson of Les Petits Farcis a local chef, instructor and food writer/critic. A part of the charm of this class is that it starts in the Couers Salaya, the main food market in Nice where we shopped for the ingredients for our class and lunch. Rosa led a fabulous tour though the marketplace, and continued through the vieux ville to some of the greatest food retailers in the area. I learned so much from her about the food, food sources and food traditions in the South of France.

After shopping, we all climbed the stairs to Rosa’s nearby apartment and wonderful kitchen. Here, we donned our aprons and started prepping under Rosa’s guidance. Here’s the other thing I really loved about this menu choice: for the first time, I made {actually, I was a part of the team that took turns making it}, aïoli in the traditional way, using a mortar and pestle. I have always been a little intimidated about making aïoli in this traditional manner, but now, having done it, a large mortar and pestle will be one of the first things I’ll buy in the states {or hopefully I’ll find a patina rich, import~worthy mortar and pestle over here}.

After lunch was prepared, we sat together and enjoyed the meal. I was with the most wonderful group of people, only one of whom I had met before {a wonderful friend from Seattle}. There is something about coming together to gather food, cook and dine that is especially bonding.

Below, you’ll find Rosa’s wonderful recipe for this dish. Here is her description:

“Aioli is a potent garlic mayonnaise and le grand aïoli refers to a dish of poached salted cod served with a panoply of seasonal vegetables and plenty of aioli for dipping. Restaurants often serve it on Fridays, the traditional day for Catholics to eat fish. Since cod is now scarce, feel free to substitute any thick white fish fillet, such as haddock or black cod {a different species}.”

Le grand aïoli

Les Petits Farci market recipes

serves 4-6

ingredients

1 thick piece of cod or other white fish weighing about 1~1/2 pounds {675 g}

1 lb coarse salt {about 40 g}

Seasonal vegetables, which might include:

small carrots

new potatoes

green beans

small leeks

zucchini

cherry tomatoes

radishes

4-6 eggs {optional}

For the aïoli:

2 garlic cloves

1 egg yolk

1 slice dry bread soaked in milk

3/4 cup olive oil

1/2 lemon

coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Coat the fish on both sides with a thick layer of coarse salt and set aside in a cool place for an hour. After an hour, rinse it under cold water and cut into serving sized pieces.

preparation

Trim all of the vegetables, keeping them whole if they are very small or cutting them into diagonal lengths.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tbsp sea salt. Cook the carrots, green beans, leeks and zucchini in the water one by one until just tender, and refresh them in a bowl of cold water. Boil the potatoes in a separate saucepan until tender.

aïoli vegetables including fresh tomatoes, radishes and fennel root

In a small saucepan, cover the eggs with water and bring to a boil. Put on the lid, turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes. Refresh in cold water and peel.

For the aïoli, crush the garlic with the sea salt in a mortar. Add the egg yolks and the bread, squeezing out the excess milk.

{the bread serves as an emulsifier, ensuring a nice thick sauce. I found the bread didn’t dilute the potency of the sauce a bit! ~ebh}

Add the olive oil drop by drop, always turning the pestle in the same direction. The mixture should thicken like a mayonnaise.

Squeeze in a little lemon juice to taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

In a non-stick pan over high heat, fry the cod in a little olive oil over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes in total, until golden on both sides and just cooked through.

If you are planning a trip to Nice, I highly recommend you book a class with Rosa, click on Les Petits Farcis for more details, here is a part of her description of the class:

“Depending on your menu choice, I will select the the best meat and fish for you – perhaps lamb from the nearby Alpes de Haute-Provence or Mediterranean sea bass. Because traditional Niçois cooking relies more on vegetables than meat or fish, we can also plan an entirely vegetarian menu. No matter what the main ingredient of our meal, we will not forget the wine. Then we will make our way past the fresh pasta shop to my 400-year-old (but thoroughly renovated and air-conditioned!) apartment in rue du Jésus, where if pissaladière is on the menu we can get started on the yeast dough. A couple of hours later we will sit down to an authentic Niçois meal and toast our efforts with a glass of rosé (or, if you prefer, an intriguing local red or white wine).”