Deconstructed Salade Niçoise: Aïoli

Aïoli, handmade garlic mayonnaise, is the wonderful, classic Provençal sauce based on garlic, olive oil, and fresh egg yolks. Other Mediterranean garlic sauces, like the Spanish allioli and the Greek skordalia, are closely related.

I might sound like a purist snob, but I really must deflate the many myths about aïoli: For one, adding other ingredients like dried tomatoes, wasabi, and the like may make a tasty sauce, but you just can’t call it “aïoli.” Flavored mayonnaise can contain