Basil Aoli

Last night I went to a cooking class at Sur La Table. It was so much fun and, surprisingly, the recipes were pretty simple. One of the most basic recipes was this one for basil aoli, I had no idea how easy it would be to make and yet how tasty it could be. We had this served with Salmon, I am sure you could use it on a sandwich or with other dishes as well.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup packed basil leaves
• 1 tsp lemon juice or juice from 1/2 a small lemon
• 1 medium garlic clove, pressed
• small pinch of salt
• 1 cup of good mayonnaise

Combine olive oil, basil, lemon juice, garlic and salt in jar of a blender or food processor. Process until smooth like pesto, pausing every now and then to scrap down the sides of the blender/food processor. If you do not have a small blender/food processor you can also put these ingredients into a mortar and pestle and grind until the consistency of thin pesto.

Put the mayonnaise in a small bowl. Add the basil mixture and stir well to mix. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Enjoy!