Fantastic Homemade Aioli Sauce
Good aioli sauce all starts with the garlic. Famous for its potent taste, smell and ability to ward off vampires, garlic is one of my favorite foods to use to really up the flavor in some of my dishes. Not only does it add quite a flavor punch to any meal it’s added in, but it’s also a solid source of vitamin C, manganese, and selenium. Garlic is also a well known immune system booster — and it isn’t just because of the vitamin C content. The active ingredient in garlic is known as allicin, and not only does it help strengthen the immune system, but it also has cardiovascular benefits, anti-tumor properties, and it even helps to keep blood sugar levels stabilized. (1)
The garlic cloves for the aioli are first drizzled in olive oil, adding a bit of heart-healthy fats to their already great nutritional properties. After roasting them for 30 minutes, simply add in some paleo mayonnaise and lemon juice for some tanginess. The sauce perfectly offsets the smoky flavoring of the shrimp and it’s absolutely fantastic for dipping.
Don’t Forget the Smoked Paprika
Shrimp that’s been coated in a savory blend of smoked paprika and cayenne pepper is delicious enough on its own. But when you add in the homemade aioli sauce, you end up with a fantastic paleo-approved meal that’s truly something special. The smoked paprika really adds a whole new dimension to this recipe, especially if you grill your shrimps over charcoal.
PS. This isn’t the only good paleo shrimp recipe that I have in rotation. I highly recommend this yummy paleo coconut shrimp recipe too. It features that great shrimp flavor that seafood lovers enjoy along with a yummy coconut aftertaste. It’s really light and perfect for summer or spring. You could also go Mexican with these shrimp tacos that I like to make whenever we have a family barbecue. They’re made with homemade tortillas that surprisingly don’t get soggy even with lemon juice or lime juice.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds medium shrimps, peeled and deveined
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- lemon wedges, to serve
- salt, black pepper to taste
- For the roast garlic aioli
- 3 garlic cloves
- ½ cup homemade or paleo approved store-bought mayonnaise
- ½ tsp lemon juice
Directions
- To make the aioli, preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Place the garlic cloves in a piece of foil and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil.
- Make a parcel of the foil and roast for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
- Peel the garlic cloves and place in a blender.
- Add the mayonnaise, pinch of salt and black pepper and ½ tsp lemon juice.
- Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a bowl add the remaining olive oil, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper and good pinch of salt.
- Mix to combine.
- Add the shrimps and toss to coat.
- Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat.
- Put the shrimps on the pan and grill them 2-3 minutes pr side or until charred.
- Serve the shrimps with the aioli and lemon wedges.