By Mid-June and the heat is settling in. The daycare play yard is getting moved to early morning and I have started the cold brew coffee ritual again: twelve ounces of ground coffee in a quart of cold water, in the fridge overnight, strained in the morning. I drink it every morning before work and it has become non-negotiable between now and September.
Tyler told me this week that he has been looking at houses. Not seriously, not yet, but looking, which is a thing I received carefully and thought about for the rest of the week. He did not say anything explicit about me or us in the context of looking at houses. He mentioned it the way you mention something that is part of the direction you are moving. I did not press for more than he said. I filed it in the place where I keep important things and I am waiting to see what it becomes.
I made a Greek salad and grilled salmon this week, a light summer meal, the kind that requires almost nothing from the stove. The salad is cucumber, tomato, red onion, kalamata olives, feta, a good olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. The salmon on the grill with just olive oil and salt and lemon. Tyler came over and ate it and said: this is exactly right for a Tuesday in June. I said: that is what I was going for. He said: you always know what the day needs. That is a thing worth saying about someone.
That meal — the salmon on the grill, the salad with its cold olives and bright feta — did not need much to feel right, but it was the small bowl of aioli alongside the fish that pulled everything together. It is the kind of condiment that asks very little of you and gives a lot back: garlic, lemon, good olive oil, patience with the pour. It felt like the right thing to make for a week that had quiet weight in it, something I could control and do well while I waited to see what the bigger things would become.
Aioli
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 0 minutes | Total Time: 10 minutes | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (such as avocado or light olive oil)
- White pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the garlic paste. On a cutting board, combine the minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Use the flat side of a knife to press and smear the garlic against the board repeatedly until it forms a smooth paste. This mellows the raw bite and distributes flavor evenly.
- Build the base. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until the mixture is pale and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add the garlic paste and whisk to combine.
- Emulsify the oil. Combine the olive oil and neutral oil in a measuring cup with a spout. Whisking constantly, add the oil to the egg yolk mixture one drop at a time to start. Once the mixture begins to thicken and emulsify — after about 1/4 cup of oil has been incorporated — you can increase to a slow, thin, steady stream. Do not rush this step.
- Season and adjust. Once all the oil is incorporated and the aioli is thick and creamy, taste and adjust with additional salt, white pepper, and lemon juice as needed. If the aioli is thicker than you’d like, whisk in cold water one teaspoon at a time to loosen it.
- Rest before serving. Transfer to a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving to let the garlic flavor develop fully. Aioli keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 240 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 27g | Carbs: 1g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 115mg