How to Make Toum

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Ensure all items are at room temperature

   Water is your enemy here, and very little of it can cause your emulsion to fail.
2. 2

   Step 2: and that your tools are clean and dry.

   , THIS IS A CRITICAL STEP! Do not rush the processing of the garlic with the salt.
   
   Repeat the processing and scraping to center until the garlic is very fine
   - five to ten cycles. , Take the lemon juice in one hand and the oil in the other, positioned to pour in to the the food processor bowl. , The stream should resemble a thin thread
   - the key is to pour slowly.
   
   Initially, it will look like garlic and oil soup, but, when enough oil is added, the garlic, salt and oil will react and combine into a white emulsion.
   
   You'll hear a change in the food processor motor's pitch as well as see the change in the bowl. , You should run out of juice before you've finished pouring the oil
   - that's OK! , If this happens, stop the processor and "cut" the emulsion with your scraper, ensuring you are creating a path for the oils to drain down toward the blade.
   
   Pulse the food processor to incorporate this oil into the toum. , This prevents any condensation from the sauce as it cools from falling back into it
   - added moisture can cause the emulsion to break, leaving you with a lemon-garlic oil (which is still usable for other purposes, I might add.
   
   Just a bit disappointing!). , Toum keeps a very long time
   - a month or more
   - before it begins to separate. ,
3. 3

   Step 3: Put salt

4. 4

   Step 4: pepper

5. 5

   Step 5: and garlic into food processor bowl.

6. 6

   Step 6: Pulse until garlic is finely chopped and well mixed with the salt

7. 7

   Step 7: stopping occasionally to scrape the mixture to the center of the bowl.

8. 8

   Step 8: Turn the food process on in constant mode.

9. 9

   Step 9: Slowly drizzle the oil into the food processor.

10. 10

    Step 10: At this point

11. 11

    Step 11: continue to pour the oil as a thin stream

12. 12

    Step 12: but also start pouring the lemon juice

13. 13

    Step 13: also in a very fine stream.

14. 14

    Step 14: The emulsion may build to the point that the additions of oil simply pool on top.

15. 15

    Step 15: Remove the top from the food processor

16. 16

    Step 16: and cover the bowl with a towel (paper towel works fine)

17. 17

    Step 17: and refrigerate.

18. 18

    Step 18: Once chilled

19. 19

    Step 19: transfer to a suitable storage container

20. 20

    Step 20: and keep refrigerated.

21. 21

    Step 21: Makes about 2-1/2 c.

Detailed Guide

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