Traditional Provençal Aioli Recipe from the South of France

During my last vacation in the South, I was able to taste a delicious Traditional Provençal Aioli recipe and I enjoyed it!

I loved the simplicity of this dish which highlights good fresh produce: a variety of vegetables, fish (cod) and whelks, accompanied by a good aioli sauce. Yes, aioli is therefore not only a sauce (ointment) but also a complete dish.

When I got home, I wanted to try it myself and here is the result! Full of colors, flavors and what’s more, it’s a healthy and easy dish to make…
I had the impression of going back on vacation and to the seaside, a pure pleasure!

This dish is traditional from the south of France and I think there are several versions. Today I present to you the one that I made especially for the Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer Tourist Office!

Aioli seems to be a very old recipe that could date back to the Middle Ages. It was consumed by fishermen returning to port with their cargo of salt cod. Traditionally, the Monday following the ascent was generally a day of rest in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer to enjoy the typical meal where all the inhabitants gathered.

So here is the recipe if you also want to try it at home! 😉

Traditional Provençal Aioli Recipe from the South of France

WHAT INGREDIENTS YOU DO NEED TO MAKE THIS PROVENÇAL AIOLI RECIPE:

desalinated cod
hard-boiled eggs or quail eggs
carrots
a nice handful of nice green beans
cauliflower
potatoes
purple artichokes from Provence
a few cooked whelks
cooked pink shrimp (optional)

FOR THE AIOLI SAUCE:

degermed garlic cloves
olive oil
an egg yolk at room temperature
a squeeze of lemon juice
salt and pepper

Details of the ingredients and instructions are available a little further down in the recipe card.

HOW TO MAKE THIS HOMEMADE AIOLI RECIPE?

This recipe is made in 3 steps which consist of:

prepare the cod: by soaking it for 24 hours and changing the water several times
steamed ingredients
make aioli sauce

Other recipe ideas that you might also like:

Ingredients

500 g desalted cod
4 hard-boiled eggs or quail eggs (2 or 3 per person)
4 carrots
1 large handful of green beans
1/2 cauliflower
4 potatoes
4 purple artichokes
A few cooked whelks
8 cooked pink shrimp (optional)

FOR THE AIOLI SAUCE

2 degermed garlic cloves
35 cl olive oil
1 egg yolk at room temperature
1 squeeze of lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Instructions

FOR FISH

Start by preparing the cod: soak it in a bowl filled with water for 24 hours, changing the water at least 7 times.
Don't hesitate to taste a small piece of fish to see if it is desalinated enough.
At the end of this desalting, poach it in a pan of simmering water with a bay leaf, for a good 7 minutes. Be careful not to let the water boil, this will make the flesh elastic and rubbery.

VEGETABLES AND FISH COOKING

Wash the vegetables, peel those that need to be peeled and cook the vegetables separately, by steaming. Reserve them.
Cook the eggs hard-boiled for 12 minutes then peel them.

FOR THE AIOLI SAUCE

In a large wooden mortar, crush the degermed raw garlic cloves with a pinch of salt to reduce them to a smooth paste.
Add the egg yolk and a few drops of lemon juice.
Pour in the olive oil, little by little, turning constantly with the pestle or a whisk and always stirring in the same direction. The sauce should be very firm.
Pour into a bowl or leave in the mortar and refrigerate until ready to serve.

TO SERVE

In a large serving dish or in several dishes, arrange the fish, the still warm vegetables, the peeled eggs, the shrimp and the whelks.
Serve the delicious aioli sauce on the side and enjoy!

Did you make my recipe?

If you make my Traditional Provençal Aioli recipe, thank you very much for leaving me a little comment and rating the recipe. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram, I love seeing your creations.

Traditional Provençal Aioli Recipe from the South of France