Have you noticed I’ve been on an aïoli roll recently?  Yeah.  I love mayonnaise, which is what an aïoli really is.  And, I absolutely adore flavored mayonnaise.  This particular aïoli is rich, creamy and well-balanced.  It’s truly delightful schmeared on Chicken Burgers with Scallions, Ginger and Thai Flavors.  It adds both flavor and moisture to the chicken.  But, this is flexible.  It’s also wonderful spread on grilled steak, chicken or salmon.  I also like to add this to pasta salad that I add shrimp and frozen peas to.

Aïoli, made from scratch, is made like mayonnaise.  However, I prefer to use good-quality purchased mayonnaise as a base.  I prefer to use the “light” version, which is lower in calories, and thus allows me to add a bit of a really nicely flavored olive oil for a fresher flavor, without guilt of producing a calorie-laden concoction.  I also prefer the purchased mayo to preparing a from-scratch mayo, because the entire mixture will store much longer.  And these are all good things.

This is incredibly simple to prepare.  I just put everything in a bowl, except the peanuts.  Give it a good stir, until it’s smooth.  Then, I just dump in the peanuts and stir those into the aïoli, scrape it all into a container with a nice tight-fitting lid.  I like to purchase raw peanuts and toast them, which adds depth of flavor.  I store the aïoli for at least 2 hours before using.  Even better new is that this lovely elixir will keep (and get better tasting), in the fridge, for at least seven to ten days.