The Big One

One recent sunny Sunday, we went to Alain Giraud’s Los Angeles home for a Big Aioli.

Giraud, born in Paris, raised in the South of France, is the chef of Lavande in Santa Monica, former chef of Citrus in Los Angeles and the veteran of several two-star restaurants in France. Aioli is a garlic mayonnaise (the name comes from the Catalan language of northeastern Spain, where all--changed to ai in French--means garlic and oli is oil).

Aioli-the-meal began as a modest Friday dinner, consisting of boiled potatoes and a piece of poached cod, with aioli as a sauce. Le Grand Aioli is that same basic Friday meal elevated into a feast with many more vegetables and maybe andouiette and/or chicken, rabbit, shrimp--whatever aioli tastes good with, which is practically everything.

The Giraud home looks like any number of nicely kept California Mission revival stucco houSes. Inside, however, it’s pure Provence, with white plastered walls, French antiques, pine tables. Katherine Giraud has a Provencal fabric importing business; windows, tables and pillows are dressed in bright Provencal prints in blue, white and bistro yellow.

A few guests wander off to sit outside in Parisian park chairs on the small walled patio off the living room. There, papyrus sprouts from a small pond where several goldfish drift. A ficus provides leafy shade. The culinarily curious, however, crowd into the small, jam-packed Giraud kitchen to watch the chef at work.

Giraud is a handsome, sparkly-eyed, sturdy Frenchman whose good nature and high humor seem to increase under pressure--at least here, in the comfort of his own home. “You’d say something else if you saw him on the job,” says his friend Patrick Kuh dryly. Kuh is a former sous-chef to Giraud and has come today to help him cook.

The kitchen, however small, is a main thoroughfare in the house. Giraurd’s two children, Camille and Antonin, run in and out. Guests squeeze in to get a cup of coffee, a refill on water or wine. The stove top is covered with pots and pans--lots of things need to be boiled: eggs, potatoes, an entire produce section of vegetables and, of course, the salt cod, which comes out of the refrigerator, where it’s been soaking in water for more than a day.

Salt cod, or bacalao, has been exported to Mediterranean countries by northern traders since the Middle Ages. “Christopher Columbus ate it all across the Pacific,” says Giraud. “You must soak it a minimum of 24 hours and change the water a lot--at least four times.”

Giraud rinses the cod and carefully sets each nice thick wedge in a deep Calphalon saute pan. “You can buy the fish at Portuguese and Italian markets,” he says. “There are various qualities, but the thicker it is, the better.”

He pours fresh water over the cod until it is covered by an inch and adds bay leaves and sprigs of thyme. He turns on the heat and brings it to a boil. The cod must simmer for eight minutes. Although there is an hour or more before dinner, it’s fine to cook the cod now and either warm it briefly later, or serve it at room temperature.

“You’re not worried it’ll get overcooked?” I ask.

“Everything in a traditional aioli is overcooked,” Giraud says cheerfully. “It’s a country dish. There are none of your California blanched vegetables!”

He turns next to making socca batter. Socca is a simple pancake made from chickpea flour, water and oil, with a bit of salt and thyme for seasoning. The batter must sit for half an hour before frying. Since chickpea flour varies (this flour Giraud purchased at a Middle Eastern market), you may have to add a little more water, but start with the amount in the recipe and wait until it sits before adding more.

While the socca batter sits and Kuh steams various vegetables (broccoli, carrots, green and wax beans for starters), Giraud turns next to the aioli itself. He uses eight cloves of garlic and 3/4 cup of oil per egg. He peels the garlic and, slicing open a clove, points to the green “germ.”

“In the spring, it is important to remove this,” he says.

“Why?” I ask.

“It has a sour taste,” Giraud says. “And I’ve heard it can give you cancer.”

Kuh, at the stove, laughs out loud. “Such quintessential French thinking,” says Kuh, an Austrian. “It tastes bad--oh, and by the way, it also can kill you.”

“Of course! We know what really matters,” Giraud agrees, laughing, then returns to his demonstration.

“You first make a paste of the garlic. In the restaurant, we do everything by hand with a knife, chop the garlic very, very finely until it’s almost transparent. That takes a very long time. And you have to do it fresh the day you use it because the garlic won’t keep. Here, which is better, we’ll pound it in a mortar in the traditional way.” Giraud pounds, having wrapped a twisted tea towel around the base of the mortar to keep it from traveling. He smiles slyly. “I’ll make a confession,” he says in confidential tones. “This is the first time I’ve ever pounded it.”

He separates eggs, adds the yolks and also some very bright yellow potato that had been boiled with saffron, cooled and riced. “The potato,” Giraud says, “gives the aioli a nicer color and a good, silken texture.”

Slowly dripping olive oil into his garlic, egg and potato paste, Giraud whisks constantly, transforming the substances into aioli, a miraculously fluffy, pale yellow, glossy substance. Kuh, meanwhile, “freshens” steamed green vegetables in ice water so that they don’t lose their color. Somebody--it’s easy to lose track of who’s doing what--starts a saute of red onion and red pepper, a garnish for the socca. The children pass through again, this time exclaiming that they’re hungry. Giraud puts another big pot of water on the stove, this one to boil water for ravioli, his kids’ dinner.

Then he starts frying the small chewy socca. Kuh pours a bowl of shucked fava beans into the first pot of boiling water: “You always boil favas last,” he says, “because they turn the water black.”

The ravioli goes in the second pot. The socca stacks up. The aioli rests in the fridge. And the guests are peckish. It’s time for a snack (already prepared, thank goodness) and an aperitif. The aperitif is pastis, a licorice liqueur that’s similar in color to Sauternes, a pale clear gold which miraculously turns a cloudy yellow when mixed with water. To go with the pastis are olives and slices of cheese and ham and a savory olive cake, the recipe for which came from Giraud’s grandmother.

The children eat.

Kuh and Giraud pile huge platters with brightly colored steamed vegetables, Santa Barbara prawns, hard-boiled eggs and servings of plump white cod. When the guests are seated, the socca, topped with the pepper-onion saute, goes out as an appetizer. Giraud’s spirits, higher than ever, clearly are contagious. “Socca to me, baby,” cry his guests.

Wine is poured, the first hush of eating comes over the room. Giraud, a compulsive host, is up and down, fetching water, more wine, whatever his guests could remotely need. When the socca plates are cleared, it’s time for the Big Aioli. The platters, heaped high with colorful vegetables and fish, are gorgeous, almost hallucinatory in their abundance and allure. Guests break into applause and cheers.

The platters, bowls of silken, yellow aioli, and thick slices of rye bread are passed. Afternoon sunlight suffuses the room; wine glasses glint and clink; sighs and murmurs of approval temporarily eclipse conversation.

The cod is truly the showpiece of the meal: not too salty, infused with bay and thyme, it has an addictive springy texture that’s similar to lobster or monkfish, only the fish itself is much more flavorful. The creamy, smooth aioli is a perfect contrast, adding richness while letting all the fish’s flavor sing.

The Big Secret of the Big Aioli is that it’s really just a bunch of boiled things with an easy homemade sauce. Lavish as it appears, a Big Aioli is a straightforward feast practically anyone could prepare.

Giraud’s dessert is figs poached in Banyuls, a sweet dessert wine similar to Port. These figs, however, are each impaled on a vanilla bean. And it is this little touch that reveals Giraud as the alpha restaurant chef he really is--who else has so many vanilla beans at hand, or has the nerve to use them with such abandon? It’s the perfect touch--sheer extravagance--at the closing of a hearty meal.

MENU

Green Olive Cake

Socca Tart With Roasted Onions and Peppers

The Big Aioli

Poached Figs or Pears With Banyuls

Orange Madeleines

Green Olive Cake

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 5 hours

The Green Olive Cake can be baked a few days in advance. If firmly wrapped, it will keep very well in the refrigerator.

9 ounces cooked ham

7 ounces Swiss cheese

1/2 cup green olives, pitted

1 (1/4-ounce) package dry yeast

1/4 cup lukewarm milk

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup olive oil

Pepper

* Cut ham and Swiss cheese into 1/4-inch cubes. Slice olives in half. Set aside.

* Dissolve yeast in lukewarm milk in small bowl.

* Mix flour, dissolved yeast, eggs and oil on low speed with paddle attachment. Stir in ham, cheese, olives and pepper to taste.

* Line 11x5x3-inch mold with parchment paper and lightly grease. Pour in batter and bake at 325 degrees until pale golden brown, about 1 hour. Unmold on wire rack. Let cool, then refrigerate at least 4 hours.

8 servings. Each serving: 313 calories; 531 mg sodium; 146 mg cholesterol; 19 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 19 grams protein; 0.13 gram fiber.

Socca Tart With Roasted Onions and Peppers

Active Work Time: 25 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 35 minutes * Vegetarian

Chickpea flour can be found in Middle Eastern or Italian markets.

SOCCA TART

2 cups lukewarm water

2 cups fine chickpea flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

* Whisk together water, chickpea flour, salt, thyme and 1/4 cup oil until well blended. Let rest 15 minutes.

* Warm 12-inch cast-iron or nonstick pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 of socca batter. Cook until lightly browned and crisp, about 3 minutes, and flip. Cook 1 minute more. Set aside on large plate. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and socca batter.

ROASTED ONIONS AND PEPPERS

2 red bell peppers

2 red onions

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 small bunches basil, finely chopped

Salt, pepper

* Roast bell peppers over open flame of gas burner or under broiler. Peel, remove seeds and white parts and finely slice.

* Halve onions and finely slice. Warm medium pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onion slices and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add sliced peppers and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transer to bowl and add remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, basil and salt and pepper to taste.

* Slice each Socca Tart into 4 triangles. Top with roasted onions and peppers.

8 servings. Each serving: 266 calories; 337 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 3.93 grams fiber.

The Big Aioli

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

1 baking potato, peeled and diced

1 pinch saffron

Kosher salt

8 cloves garlic

4 egg yolks

2 cups extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup vegetable oil

Juice of 1 lemon

* All ingredients should be at room temperature. Cook potato in medium saucepan with water to cover, saffron and pinch of salt until very tender, about 15 minutes. Strain and pass through sieve or fine strainer. Keep warm.

* Halve garlic cloves and remove green parts. Crush garlic in mortar with pinch of salt until consistency of smooth paste. Add warm potato puree and mix. Add egg yolks and mix. Combine olive oil and vegetable oil and add slowly, drop at a time, whisking constantly, until consistency of thick mayonnaise. You may not need all of oil. Stir in lemon juice and salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place aioli in bowl in center of large tray and arrange garnishes on tray.

8 servings. Each serving: 1,006 calories; 36 mg sodium; 136 mg cholesterol; 113 grams fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.12 gram fiber.

Poached Figs or Pears With Banyuls

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Giraud used figs, but pears make a good substitute when figs are not in season. For a deeper, more intense flavor, poach them one to two days in advance. Be sure to remove the vanilla bean stem before eating.

24 black mission or green figs or 16 pears, preferably Seckel or Forelle, peeled

6 vanilla beans

2 cups Banyuls or other sweet red wine or Port

2 cups orange juice

Zest of 2 oranges

1 cup sugar

* Cut tops off figs or pears just below stems and replace stems with 1 1/2-inch-long pieces of vanilla bean, making sure small piece is visible as if it were stem.

* Place figs or pears in pot just large enough to hold them, with vanilla stem up. Add Banyuls, orange juice, zest of 1 orange, sugar and remaining vanilla beans and heat until almost boiling. If using figs, place in oven and bake at 350 degrees until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. If using pears, simmer on stove until tender, about 15 minutes.

* Carefully remove fruit to flat container and set aside. Reduce cooking liquid over medium-high heat by 1/3 until it reaches syrupy consistency, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour over fruit and decorate with remaining orange zest.

8 servings. Each serving: 154 calories; 2 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.86 grams fiber.

Orange Madeleines

Active Work Time: 20 minutes Total Preparation Time: 2 1/2 hours

1 cup blanched almonds

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

1 vanilla bean

1 cup (7 to 8) egg whites

2 tablespoons lavender or other honey

Zest of 1 orange

Nonstick cooking spray

* Process almonds in food processor until coarsely chopped to make 3/4 cup. Do not over-process or paste will form. Combine almonds, powdered sugar, flour and baking powder in bowl.

* Put butter in saucepan. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape seeds onto butter and add pods. Cook over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

* Add egg whites to dry ingredients and mix well. Remove vanilla bean pods from butter and stir butter into batter. Add honey and zest and mix slowly. Chill at least 2 hours.

* Spray 16 nonstick shell-shaped madeleine cookie molds with nonstick cooking spray. Pipe mixture into each mold almost but not quite to top of mold.

* Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes. Do not brown. Let rest 1 minute, then unmold. Store madeleines covered without touching or they will stick together.

36 madeleines. Each madeleine: 107 calories; 68 mg sodium; 14 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.10 gram fiber.