The first time I heard about black garlic I was watching this episode of Food Tube where Jamie Oliver was cooking everything black. He has few videos about black chicken, but I was most intrigued by the use of black garlic to make a paste. That was when I started my quest to find more about this little gem. You can find all you need to know in this BA article from 2016: Chefs are going crazy for black garlic (and you will too). Now, if you love chemistry, then you might want to read this one from Lucky Peach: What is Black Garlic?

Even though I have been tempted to start the few weeks process to create my very own black garlic at home, I have never gotten ambitious enough to try it. I was able to find it at Willy Street Co-op and Trader Joe’s. It is really like a magic bulb, not what you expect from garlic; it even goes beyond my obsession with Garlic Confit. It is also one of those flavors that would be hard to substitute. There are many ways you can use it, however I decided to share a simple recipe that can be an addition to other dishes as well. Most recently I used this Black Garlic Aioli to serve a tuna tartare, and it was incredible. I also use this aioli as a salad dressing, a dipping sauce for potatoes and root vegetables, or spread on top of my pan seared chicken, yum!

Aioli or Allioli (in Catalan) is the creamy, garlicky sauce that pretty much makes everything better. Once you have the ratios that work for you, go ahead and use additional herbs or flavors you love. The addition of black garlic to this traditional recipe is my new best secret (shhh)! If you are ready to discover this sweet, sticky, aged, molassic gem – give it a try with this simple Black Garlic Aioli recipe!

Ingredients: (makes about 1 cup)

5 cloves black garlic
1 large egg yolk at room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a blender add garlic, egg yolk, and lemon juice. Mix on high until well blended. With the blender running add the oil little by little in a thin, steady stream. You will see it starts to become creamy. Taste and season with salt. Transfer to a serving plate or jar. It keeps refrigerated for one week. Enjoy!