IT HAS BEEN about 24 hours and my left arm is still stiff. The reason? I spent about 15 minutes ever so slowly, drop by precious drop, whisking two cups of olive oil into a mixture of egg yolks, dry mustard, garlic paste, salt and a little lemon juice. All because Cathy Whims, owner and chef at iconic Portland Italian restaurant Nostrana and author of the upcoming cookbook “The Italian Summer Kitchen,” told me to.
“It helps to whisk the aioli by hand, for a softer texture than machine-made,” Whims writes in her book, which will be released April 15.
It might seem a bit persnickety — especially when using a food processor or immersion blender will do the job just fine (Whims even includes a slight variation in the event you want to go the mechanized route) — but making aioli by hand is the essence of this cookbook.
“If there’s one theme to this book, it’s that delicious food doesn’t have to be complicated — something Italians know very, very well,” Whims writes in the introduction. “And if there’s one goal it’s that it inspired you to slow down, cook a little and enjoy the flavors of the season.”
It’s the perfect book to take along on all your summer vacations — as it is one that really stresses to take advantage of the best produce you can find and cook it simply, yielding beautiful results. Whims even has tips for what to bring to outfit a rental kitchen — while keeping in mind that you don’t want to spend all your vacation time in the kitchen.
“The recipes in the book (are) simple enough that you could throw your book in a tote bag and your favorite knives and one pot you like a lot, and you could still create these dishes,” Whims says. “It’s a lot of the way I cook at home — where I’m just eating and cooking the things I like to cook over and over again.”
The book traipses through all the makings of a decadent Italian feast: marinated zucchini with chickpea fritters and fried squash blossoms, the famous Insalata Nostrana from the restaurant, Sicilian potato salad, rustic pastas and pizzas, Bistecca alla Fiorentina, cherry semifreddo and more.
The aioli I was whipping up was for her halibut baked with aioli, a decadent recipe that features a firm fish fillet simply topped with the whipped cream-like aioli and baked in a 500-degree oven for a dozen minutes.
The resulting aioli was well worth the time spent whisking it into submission. It had a luscious, custard-like consistency, with enough garlic flavor to ward off a vampire. I mixed in some finely chopped chives and parsley and swirled it atop the fish before popping it in the oven. The aioli deflated a bit during baking but sat proudly atop the fish with a slightly browned top. It was tangy and rich, the fish underneath a succulent bite.
On the side, I served Whims’ Italian roasted potatoes: large wedges that are parboiled before being tossed with copious amounts of olive oil, garlic, rosemary, parsley, sage, pepper and salt and baked in a hot oven for 30 minutes.
The potatoes provided a little crunch with a fluffy, mashed-potato interior, made a bit more decadent with a small swipe through some of the well-whisked aioli.
The only way this meal could’ve possibly been better was if it were eaten at a vacation spot somewhere along Washington’s gorgeous coastline. Luckily there’s plenty of time to peruse this book (I’ve already earmarked the fresh fettuccine with yogurt, caramelized onions and tender herbs) and get a vacation on the books this summer. Or better yet, transport yourself to Italy without leaving your own kitchen.
Halibut with Aioli
From The Italian Summer Kitchen by Cathy Whims
Serves 4
Extra-virgin olive oil
Four 4-ounce halibut fillets (or black cod or lingcod)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/3 cups garlic aioli
1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs such as chives and basil
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush it with olive oil.
3. Season the fillets generously with salt and pepper and place on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Blend the herbs into the aioli and spread generously onto each fillet, about 1⁄3 cup per piece. Place on the top rack of the oven.
5. Cook until the fish is opaque and cooked through and the aioli is starting to color on top, 10 to 12 minutes.
Garlic Aioli recipe:
This garlicky mayonnaise is so flavorful it can be used as a dip for raw vegetables or roasted potatoes, or as a sauce for anything that could use a dollop of creamy, garlicky goodness. Although the name is French, historians say the ancient Romans likely invented it, and that’s Italian enough for me. The secret to aioli is to add the oil very, very slowly so that it will emulsify with the egg yolk and lemon juice. If it ends up too stiff and thick, whisk in a little water to thin it out.
2 garlic cloves
Sea salt
2 large egg yolks
1⁄4 teaspoon dry mustard
2 cups fruity (not grassy) extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1. Pound the garlic and salt into a smooth paste with a mortar and pestle. Or, chop the garlic, sprinkle with salt, then use the flat side of your knife to crush the garlic and salt into a smooth paste. Scrape the mixture into a bowl.
2. Whisk in the egg yolks and mustard. Slowly mix in ¼ cup of the olive oil, drop by drop, until the mixture is thick, creamy and emulsified. (This is a slow process. Don’t be tempted to speed it up. You will be rewarded soon.)
3. Whisk in half of the lemon juice and then whisk in 3/4 cup of the olive oil, drop by drop, until the mixture is very thick again. Repeat the process, alternately adding the remaining lemon juice and olive oil in small amounts until each is completely incorporated. If the mixture is too thick and stiff, thin it out by whisking in a little water. Add salt to taste.
Note: If you don’t want an arm workout, you can blend the aioli in a food processor, but take care with the oil. High-speed blending can sometimes encourage olive oil to contribute bitter compounds to a mixture, which is especially obvious in sauces that are mostly oil, as this one is. Instead, try using a neutral vegetable oil, such as canola, for the initial blending. Once the mixture is emulsified, whisk in olive oil by hand.
Jackie Varriano: covers the food scene in the neighborhoods around Seattle. She loves digging into stories that discuss why we eat the things we do — and when — in our region and beyond. Reach her at jvarriano@seattletimes.com. On Twitter: @JackieVarriano.