Secret garlic sauce is not a secret. It’s my easy version of the famous Toum, a garlic sauce common to the Levant.
Secret garlic sauce is similar to Aioli, from the Northwest Mediterranean, and Toum, a sauce from the Levant. Both sauces are made by grinding garlic with a mortar and pestle and adding olive oil. That’s great if you have a lot of time on your hands or want a workout for your arm. However, if you don’t have time or big arms, then using a food processor and mayonnaise is the way to go.
This dipping sauce goes great with everything, even your finger! It is perfect with rotisserie chicken, crab, lula kabob burgers — and yes, even your finger. Just try not to “taste” too much. You won’t have any left for your guests!
I got this recipe from a chef friend, Chef John Farion, who was Chef at Birds in Hollywood. Sadly, the restaurant no longer makes Chef Farion’s version. That’s okay, and you will like this better – bring your own.
Making and Storing Secret Garlic Sauce
If you do not have a *small food processor, you could use a garlic press, but you would want to reduce the amount of garlic a bit. The smaller the piece of garlic, the stronger it is.
If you do not have white pepper, omit the pepper completely. Black pepper is too strong and discolors the sauce.
Use fresh garlic cloves. Garlic powder makes the sauce bitter and gritty. You could use roasted garlic cloves, but the sauce would have a different flavor profile. Stick with fresh cloves.
Because the sauce is made from mayonnaise, it should not be left out at room temperature. Keep it covered in the refrigerator when not in use. It will last about a week if you can keep from eating it all up at once.
