Toum, which means “garlic,” is an essential sauce in Lebanese cuisine, full-bodied, flavorful, and slightly zesty. With just four ingredients, this garlicky sauce is a perfect complement to many dishes, especially grilled meats and kabobs, Lebanese French fries, Batata Maqlieh (here), and many of the greens found in my Tashquila (Side Dishes) section.
Since this staple sauce, which is found on every Lebanese table, is made almost entirely of mashed garlic, it’s very important to select very fresh garlic. Look for pure white heads where the cloves are tightly nestled together and the skins are somewhat moist. I’ve found that Italian and German varieties offer a lovely flavor without being too pungent or spicy—perfect for preparing Toum.
To make Toum, I always use a jidan, a mortar and pestle. However, you can also use a food processor to puree the ingredients. 
MAKES 1 CUP
8 to 10 garlic cloves (about 1 head)
½ tablespoon sea salt
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2½ to 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Peel the garlic cloves and cut off any tiny green shoots that you may see. If using a mortar and pestle, place all of the cloves into the mortar with the salt and firmly pound the cloves down to flatten, then smash them into a smooth paste by vigorously moving the pestle in a circular motion. The consistency should be very creamy. If using a food processor, make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure that all of the garlic is fully processed and smooth.
Slowly stream ½ cup of the olive oil into the garlic paste, mixing the two together so that the oil entirely emulsifies into the garlic, and the mixture thickens substantially. Once the first half of the olive oil is incorporated, slowly stream in half of the lemon juice, mixing vigorously so that the lemon juice blends in completely and the mixture does not separate. Repeat with the remaining half of the olive oil and the remaining lemon juice.
Serve at room temperature.
