Toum (Lebanese Garlic Sauce)

Add the garlic and salt in the food processor and run for 10-20 seconds to purée.

Stop the processor and scrape down the sides, then process again until you have a fine paste.

NOTE: From this point forward, keep processor running until the sauce is finished. With food processor on, slowly pour in 1 cup oil. The garlic will begin to emulsify and turn into a paste. Next, slowly add in 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice. Wait a few seconds, until the lemon juice is well absorbed, then add another 1 cup of oil.Repeat this step, alternating with 1 cup oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice, until you’ve incorporate 3 cups of oil and 4 tablespoons lemon juice. This process will take 8-10 minutes.

The result should be a thick sauce, with a thick, creamy consistency (like mayonnaise). Transfer garlic sauce to an airtight jar and keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Add the 9 or 10 cloves of garlic, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/3 cup of the oil to jar or immersion blender container and run for 10-20 seconds to purée. Add remaining 2/3 cups oil and puree to emulsify completely (for a less mayonnaise type consistency, feel free to double the lemon juice). Finished product should resemble mayonnaise in texture.

1. Oil added too quickly. Even though the instructions say “slowly,” toum needs extremely gradual addition at first — almost drop by drop until the emulsion forms. If the first cup of oil goes in too fast, the garlic paste can’t grab onto the oil molecules, and the mixture “breaks” into a thin, oily liquid. Fix for next time: Start by adding the first few tablespoons of oil in a thin drizzle (not a steady stream) until the mixture thickens slightly, then continue slowly.2. Garlic not finely puréed enough. If the garlic isn’t processed to a perfectly smooth paste before oil is added, the base can’t form a stable emulsion. Even a slightly grainy texture means the oil won’t bind properly. Fix: Run the processor longer in the first step, scraping down frequently until the garlic is creamy and sticky, not chunky or wet.3. Temperature mismatch. If the garlic or oil was too warm, or if the food processor ran long enough to heat the mixture, the emulsion can collapse. Fix: Use room temperature garlic and cool (not cold) oil. If the mixture starts to warm, pause briefly to let it cool down before continuing.4. Acid added too fast or unevenly. The lemon juice should be added gradually to balance the emulsion. Too much too soon can cause the oil-garlic mixture to separate. Fix: Add lemon juice in tiny portions (as in your recipe) and allow the processor to fully incorporate it before continuing.5. Processor speed or blade dullness. A weak food processor or dull blade might not shear the oil and garlic finely enough to build the emulsion. Fix: Use a powerful processor with a sharp blade. If your model struggles, consider using a stick blender method, which gives more control over emulsification.***If it already broke you can rescue broken toum: Add 1 egg white or 1 tablespoon of water to a clean processor. While running, slowly drizzle in the broken mixture — it should re-emulsify into a thick sauce.