We are currently swimming in basil at our house.  We are growing some fresh basil and it’s ready to be pruned/harvested.  We also received a big bunch of basil from the farmer’s program we belong to called Just Farmed out of Westfield.  So, what do we do with it all?  Dry some?  I definitely will.  Pesto?  Tara, my wife, isn’t a big fan.  I already made some marinara with basil a couple weeks back and have it waiting for us in the freezer.  So, I decided to make basil aioli.  It will last in an airtight container for a week or so.  It’s super easy with a food processor and is so worth the effort.  In fact, if you are still buying mayonnaise, stop!  If you have a food processor, a fresh egg or two, a clove of garlic, and about a cup of the oil of your choice, you are set!  Recipe follows after the jump.

Here’s the way I made mine:

Ingredients:

2 cups or so of fresh basil

2 egg yolks from very fresh eggs

2 cloves garlic

3/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

squeeze fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

Place basil in food processor.  Pulse a few times to roughly chop it.  Add the egg yolks and garlic cloves and turn the food processor on and allow basil, garlic, and egg to blend and incorporate (about 30 seconds or so).  Squeeze in lemon (I used juice of half a small lemon).

Combine canola oil and olive oil in a bowl or measuring cup.

Turn the food processor back on and slowly (and I mean slowly) begin drizzling the oil into the processor.  At first, you want to go drop by drop.  You can begin to drizzle faster after a few seconds but stop and start, allowing the oil to be fully incorporated before starting again.  Continue drizzling the oil until it is all incorporated and combined.

Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.  It’s that easy and tastes great too!  Serve it on a piece of crusty bread along with a slice of fresh tomato…you won’t be disappointed.