Ajo Cabañil

Ajo cabañil is a Murcian mortar dressing of crushed garlic, vinegar, water and salt. This profile follows Claudia Polo's documented formula and fixes white-wine vinegar from her explicit apple-cider-or-white-wine choice.

Raw garlic gives the dressing an assertive savoury heat, while vinegar brightens and softens its force. Salt sharpens the flavour and water loosens the paste so it can spread through potatoes or meat without becoming oily or heavy.

The finished dressing is pale, fluid and slightly cloudy, with finely crushed garlic suspended throughout. It is smooth enough to coat food but retains the rustic body of a hand-pounded mortar paste.