This Mexican garlic-olive-oil infusion is the purest liquid gold for your kitchen. Stir it into pastas, salsas, dips, or just drizzle it on a crusty hunk of bread. All you need is three ingredients!
I can't remember a time when I was so excited to get into the kitchen and start peeling four nail-burning heads of garlic as when I saw Rick Bayless stir up some garlic-gold alchemy on public television with his Mojo de Ajo.
This was years ago, but to date, this mojo de ajo (pronounced moho de aho, with a soft "d") has remained my favorite condiment and one I make it a point to have around to make mealtimes easier--and tastier.
Mojo de ajo literally translates into a sauce of garlic. It is a traditional Mexican dish with infinitely delicious possibilities, and you can see why. Think of a ton of spicy garlic drowned in fruity olive oil and then kissed alive by tangy lemon juice. It's magic.
This garlic-infused olive oil is great on almost anything: drizzle a few drops on toast or a salad, stir it into pasta, even toss some root vegetables in it and roast them. We sometimes use it as a dip for these vegan sourdough pretzels.
And of course, there's a plethora of Mexican dishes you can add it to for some extra mojo at the dinner table.
I just stirred it into a batch of these roasted Brussels sprouts and we couldn't have enough!
Around four heads or 50 or so cloves. I sometimes just buy pre-peeled garlic to save myself the rouble, and you can, of course, do that with no compromises on the end result. If the cloves are small (as mine were this time) you may want to use more.
Given the amount of garlic we consume in our home, I've tried every possible trick in the book, from rattling the pods within two bowls, to shaking them in a jar. I've place a heavy knife on the garlic, a pod at a time, and smacked the blade with the heel of my hand to get the papery skin off. I still do that for small quantities of garlic, but it can get painful if you have too many pods to peel.
The most effective way to peel garlic, I've found, is to just crush the clove lightly with a pestle or any heavy kitchen implement you have on hand. This helps the peel pop off easily and crushing the garlic can actually increase its positive health effects, according to scientists.
Extra virgin, hands down. You want the fruity aroma of EVOO in the mojo to make it extra flavorful.
I follow Bayless's recipe pretty closely, so the only ingredients I add to the mojo de ajo are lime juice and salt. They impart tons of flavor.
You can add a few chipotle chili flakes or arbol chili flakes, if you want some spice. If you do, add them at the time you add the lime juice and salt.
Keep the mojo in the refrigerator--it can last up to three months in an airtight jar, although experience tells me it won't be around for that long!
Related recipes
Mojo de Ajo
Equipment
- 8 X 8 inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 50 cloves garlic (about four heads)
- 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup lime juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
- Place the garlic in an 8-inch-square glass baking dish and pour the EVOO over it.
- Place the dish in the hot oven and bake 45 minutes.
- Add the lime juice and salt and return to the oven for another 20 minutes for the flavors to infuse.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and, once the oil has cooled mash the garlic with a fork or potato masher. Pour it all into an air-tight glass jar.
- The mojo de ajo keeps for at least three months in a refrigerator.
Hannah
Hello, is it 325 degrees celsius? Not fahrenheit? My oven goes 250 degrees max. Many thanks
Vaishali
Hi! 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 160 Celsius.
Frank
Just made this and it's really, really good! I made the Bayless Refried Beans and the effect is much more subtle than you would think with 50 cloves of garlic, but it's really nice and mellow!
One note, take care to not salt anything until after adding the Mojo de Ajo, as the canned (I know, I know) pinto beans I used were pre-seasoned and had plenty of salt; no need to add!
Next time I think I will throw in a handful of diced white onion with the lime juice for the last 20 minutes and see how that comes out. I would think cooking them for the whole duration would make the oil bitter...
Thanks!
Johanna Minassian
How do the garlic gloves not burn at 325 heat for 45 minutes plus another 25 minutes
Vaishali
They don't burn. They just roast into a nice golden brown and flavor the oil.
Mark
Looks amazing - going to make it today!
Any particular reason you specify a glass baking dish?
Vaishali
Metal pans do perform differently from glass pans when you bake in them. I've always used a glass pan for this, so am not exactly sure how a metal pan could change the color or flavor but I would assume it would not and should be okay.
Elena P.
Hi! This sounds delicious. I can't wait to try making it. Is it lemon or lime juice that is used? The recipe says lime in the ingredients and lemon in the instructions. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes!!!
Vaishali
Thanks, Elena, I've changed it, although lemon and lime are interchangeable here --you can use either!
Teresa A. Eddy
You have some amazing recipes! Thankyou!
Vaishali
Thanks, Teresa!
Vaishali
Sugendran, fresh mint sounds like a great idea!
sugendran
I just made this! So tasty! I did add some fresh mint to it because there was some handy 🙂
Srivalli
That really looks so good..thanks for sharing..I love garlic..
Zengirl @ Heart and Mind
Vaishali,
I love Rick Bayless's program, Mexico, one plate a time. Although I do not get to see much lately. This recipe I did not know.
I love garlic, onions and all, so this might be just yummy enough to make it for me. Thanks for sharing.
PreeOccupied
My husband will love this recipe...he is a garlic fiend!
AMA's AnythingVegetarian
You make me crave for a piece of toasted bread drizzled with Mojo de Ajo.
Matt (My Veggie Kitchen)
You were awarded a Sunshine Blog Award at my blog! Thanks for the inspiration!
Matt
My Veggie Kitchen
Red Chillies
The combination of olive oil, garlic is just enough to have my husband interested. I am sure he will love this.
Amey
wow, that sounds great! I pretty much can't ever get enough garlic. I haven't explored Rick Bayless' recipes, but I have been meaning to... sounds like he has so many great ideas. thanks for sharing this!
Vanamala Hebbar
Nice...
Allyson
Yes! This sounds really good... I can't wait to make it...and then put it in and on everything. Thank you for sharing!
I Am Gluten Free
I can think of all different applications for Mojo de Ajo. Thanks for sharing!
Miri
Wow - this makes me want to pack up from work and go home to make it!!! This must taste really great.
Thanks
Sanjeeta kk
Thanks for sharing. I am always on a look out for garlic recipes. A superfood and natural medicinal magic pearls. This one can stay for long I suppose.
Ameya
Oh that sounds so delicious!! And its so versatile-garlic goes with just about anything savory!!