Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

Making by hand:

Halve the garlic. Halve 6 to 8 garlic cloves lengthwise until you have 1/4 cup. Remove any green sprouts.

Mince the garlic and combine with the salt. Mince or finely grate the garlic into a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and stir to combine. Set the bowl on a towel or use a non-skid bowl to hold it in place as you whisk.

Add the lemon juice. Mix 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time into the garlic, waiting until the first teaspoon is completely incorporated before adding the remaining teaspoon. At this point, the mixture should be a very soft paste and smoothie-like in consistency.

Add a drop of oil at a time. Measure out 1/2 cup neutral oil in a measuring cup with a spout. Take your time here, the whole process of incorporating the oil can take 15 to 20 minutes. While whisking constantly, use a teaspoon to add 1 drop of the oil into the garlic. Stop and scrape down the bowl. Repeat whisking in the oil 1 drop at a time, stopping and scraping down the bowl between each addition. At first it will seem like nothing is happening.

Add a few drops of oil at a time. Once the garlic begins to look a bit creamy (after about 2 to 3 tablespoons are added), add the oil a couple of drops at a time, stopping and scraping the bowl between each addition. Repeat until an emulsion is fully formed and it becomes thick and spreadable.

Stream in the remaining oil. While whisking constantly, drizzle in the remaining oil in a slow, thin, steady stream. The final consistency should be light and fluffy, like mayonnaise or whipped cream.

Add the ice water. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in 2 teaspoons ice water. Once added, the texture will go from thick and almost gelatinous to fluffy and creamy.

Make in the food processor:

Halve the garlic. Peel 4 to 5 heads garlic until you have 1 1/2 cups peeled cloves. Halve the garlic cloves lengthwise and remove any green sprouts.

Process the garlic and salt together. Place the garlic in a food processor. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and pulse until minced and paste-like, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed, about 10 pulses.

Add the lemon juice. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice a tablespoon at a time, pulsing to completely incorporate each addition before adding the next. At this point, the mixture should be a very soft paste, smoothie-like in consistency.

Add a drop of oil at a time. Measure out 4 cups neutral oil in a measuring cup with a spout. Take your time here, the whole process of incorporating the oil can take 15 to 20 minutes. With the motor running, use a teaspoon to drop 1 drop of the oil into the garlic. Stop and scrape down the bowl. Repeat processing in the oil 1 drop at a time, stopping and scraping down the bowl between each addition. At first it will seem like nothing is happening.

Add a few drops of oil at a time. Once the garlic begins to look a bit creamy (after about 1/4 cup oil is added), add the oil a couple of drops at a time, stopping and scraping the bowl between each addition. Repeat until an emulsion is fully formed and it becomes thick and spreadable.

Stream in the remaining oil. With the motor running, drizzle in the remaining oil in a very slow, thin, steady stream through the tube. After adding 1 1/4 cups of the oil, the sound of the mixing will change and sound like churning ice cream, signifying the mixture is thickening. The final consistency should be light and fluffy, like mayonnaise or whipped cream.

Add the ice water. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup ice water. Once added, the texture will go from thick and almost gelatinous to smooth and creamy.