Lemon Soy Aioli

Aioli is a traditional Provencal garlic-y version of mayonnaise, consisting of garlic, olive oil, and eggs.  You can easily make it vegan by using soft tofu in place of the eggs.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 peeled garlic cloves
• 8 ounces soft tofu
• 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan.  Add the garlic and cook for 10 minutes.  Drain.

2. Meanwhile, place the tofu on several layers of paper towels, and cover with additional paper towels.  Let stand for 10 minutes, to soak up any excess liquid.

3. Combine the tofu, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth.

This aioli is great for dipping fresh vegetables, like carrot sticks, celery sticks, radishes, zucchini, and yellow squash, and is also wonderful as a sandwich spread.

Nutrition Info:
14 servings (1 tablespoon), Calories 23 

Tasting Notes:
Between the strong tastes of lemon and salt, I thought this was closer to a tahini or hummus spread, than to what I would think of as aioli. But that's not a bad thing!  The garlic flavor was mellow from the stint in boiling water, and the texture and taste worked great with crudites.  I recommend a double batch - 14 tablespoons will be gone in moments if you put out a big platter of raw veggies.

Rating:
3.5