Mujdei de Usturoi
Mujdei de Usturoi·(mooj-day deh oo-stoo-roy)
Sunday Grătar: The Romanian Backyard BBQ
If there is a scent that defines a Romanian summer weekend, it is woodsmoke from the backyard grătar mingling with the sharp, intoxicating bite of freshly pounded garlic. Mujdei is the undisputed soul of the feast, a pungent emulsion meant to cut straight through the rich, charred fats of grilled meats. While some regions dilute it into a broth or mask it with heavy dairy, the canonical move is mujdei bătut—whipped to a creamy, mayonnaise-like suspension. The absolute genius of the old-school home cook lies in a final splash of ice-cold sparkling mineral water, a humble trick that aerates the potent paste into something breathtakingly light, fluffy, and completely unforgettable.
Before you start
Remove the green sprouts from the garlic cloves.
American supermarket garlic can harbor bitter, older centers; halving the cloves and plucking out the green germ mimics the sweeter, fresher profile of native Romanian garlic.
Ingredients
- head of garlic1 large
- coarse Kosher salt1 tsp
- sunflower oil1/4 cup
- sparkling mineral water3 tbsp
Method
- 01
Crush the garlic and salt into a perfectly smooth paste.
Use a traditional mortar and pestle to pound the cloves and coarse salt until thoroughly broken down, or press the garlic into a heavy bowl and mash it fiercely against the sides with the back of a spoon.
- 02
Emulsify the paste by slowly drizzling in the oil.
Switch to a wooden spoon and add the sunflower oil a few drops at a time, stirring vigorously and continuously in one direction until the mixture lightens and thickens into a dense, creamy base.
- 03
Aerate the sauce with ice-cold sparkling water.
Gently whisk in the mineral water one tablespoon at a time; the carbonation will immediately lift and lighten the heavy emulsion into a luxurious, pourable consistency.
Notes
Don't panic if your leftovers turn blue-green.
When stored in the fridge, a harmless natural reaction between the garlic's sulfur compounds and its natural enzymes can change the sauce's color, but it still tastes brilliant for up to three days.
Respect the wooden spoon.
A wooden spoon provides the perfect surface area and friction for smearing the oil into the garlic paste against the sides of your bowl, building a tighter emulsion than a metal whisk.
From Cook Romanian in America.