Your Best Use of Aioli

Shallot, fennel fronds and bulb, chives, yolk, garlic, grapeseed oil, red pepper, shrimp, orange and lemon zest, and bun of choice!

You only need 3 cloves, but it's so easy to roast a whole head like this, then keep the rest around to spread on toast or grilled meats.

Our mini mise-en-place.

Amanda commanded this clove to jump into the bowl.

You can run but you can't hide.

If your bowl is wobbling as you whisk, it helps to have a spare hand!

That's Kristy, steadying the bowl for Amanda.

Diligently whisking a thin, thin stream of oil pays off in a rich, custardy aioli.

A trophy.

Roasted garlic cloves, mashed to smithereens.

Sweet and mellow orange juice and zest join the roasted garlic in the aioli.

Red pepper, waiting in the wings.

After the shallot, fennel and red pepper have softened, orange zest, chives and fennel fronds are stirred in.

Amanda plucks the tails from the shrimp, which have already been peeled and deveined (a well-trusted fishmonger will happily -- and speedily -- do all of this for you).

Amanda chops the shrimp into bits -- try not to leave big chunks or the patties won't hold together.

Confetti.

Pattycake, pattycake.

Not your average burger.

Using a cast iron skillet gives the burger patties an evenly golden sear.

See?

Last step -- toast those buns (we used the broiler). We won't even tell you how many we burned before getting this round right.

Your new summer dinner.

Breadcrumbs (we used panko), egg yolk, pimiento, white pepper, garlic, olive oil, scallions, lump crabmeat, baking powder, and flour.

Batter-to-be.

Use the freshest lump crabmeat you can find (although frozen would work too).

It should come together and look like pancake batter.

¡Ole! Amanda plays matador, then follows directions and covers the batter with a damp towel to rest for 30 minutes.

ChefJune pulls a trick from the Provençal playbook, softening her breadcrumbs for the aioli with white wine vinegar.

Lots of egg yolk and garlic in here -- this cook isn't messing around.

Right this way, soggy breadcrumbs.

Save those whites for meringues, tomorrow's pancake batter, egg washes for pie crusts, a face mask ... whathaveyou.

3's a crowd.

We're fine with letting the food processor do the work, but feel free to use a mortar and pestle or whisk to emulsify the aioli.

Hello in there -- are you aioli yet?

Yes!

A vital garnish waits in its holster.

Sliding spoonfuls of batter into the 325 degree oil (we used canola).

Bubble, bubble. Don't crowd the pot or the oil will get too cool to fry properly.

It's oddly thrilling to watch these little guys puff in the hot oil.

Beignets, you best behave.

A model beignet.

Give them a brief drain and cool-down on paper towels. These buggers are hot!

Spritz, dip, repeat.