Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon kosher or coarse salt, plus more to taste
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 c. Mild EVOO
Whisk egg yolk and lemon juice until just combined.
Whisking constantly, first add the olive oil slowly - a few drops at a time. Increase amount of oil being added to a scant drizzle, then to a thin steady stream, until fully incorporated.
If using a small food processor or electric whisk, whisk in pulses at first until mixture begins to appear creamy, fully combined and holding its consistency. If the mixture starts to separate, stop adding the oil and whisk until the oil is fully incorporated before adding more oil.
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Tip: The key is to drizzle in your EVOO very slowly. Start with a few drops only and increase it to a scant drizzle at a time. You want the yolk to have a chance to increase its capacity to hold air, without being deflated by more weight from the oil. As it holds more air, it should be able to withstand more oil being added, but you'll still want to drizzle in the EVOO slowly.
It doesn't take long to get the hang of this if you are paying attention to how your ingredients interact with each other. Have fun!
More on egg yolks: Did you know? "Yolk" means yellow. Coming from an old English word for the bright, sunshiny colour, use of the word yolk means technically eggs have a "white" and a "yellow".
Try this: Combine egg yolks, minced garlic, and EVOO into a creamy mayonnaise-like dip. The secret is creating a tight emulsion of the yolk and oil. Use a food processor or electric whisk to get it just right. Enjoy!