WHEN IT’S MAYONNAISE – IT’S PERSONAL

I am almost convinced there is a eulogy written somewhere about mayonnaise.  Especially the homemade kind.

Hard to believe that in America, it’s Numero Uno in the condiment department, having out seated its contender, the Ketchup by a landslide.  Even harder to believe that Russia is the top consumer of mayo in the world.

It’s rather fantastic, really, that a quick-thinking substitution in the culinary repertoire of the personal chef to the Duke of Richelieu in 1756, created the world’s most ubiquitous condiment.  When he realized he was out of cream for the sauce he was making, he utilized egg with olive oil instead.  And since his employer, the Duke had just come out victorious at the battle of Mahon, he appropriately named his well received, newly discovered creation Mahonnaise.

If you fall into the mayo-hater category, due to the unhealthy junk injected into the branded distributed kind, fabricating your own might well make you a convert when you realize it is a cinch to whip up and rather a heavenly condiment after all.

Sure, you may be called eccentric and nonsensical when you divulge to your guests that the mayo in your dish is homemade.  Nonetheless, after they try it, they will grovel for the recipe, after much exultation.  What is more, you will surely puff up like a peacock, not only because of the flattery, but because you capitulated and decided to finally make this velvety, gem of a sauce!  And then, you might even feel a little abashed – it was so easy to prepare, when you really wanted your guests to think it had taken hours of toiling in the kitchen!

1 egg yolk

1 TSP Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

1 TSP ACV – Apple cider vinegar

1 TSP maple syrup

½ cup of sunflower oil

½ olive oil (don’t use EVOO it will make the mayo too green)

1 small shallot – very finely chopped

Kosher salt

 

ln the plastic cup provided with an immersion blender, place all the ingredients.  Insert the blender all the way to the bottom and pulse a few times for about 30-40 seconds without lifting the machine.  Then move the blender slowly up and down a few times until the mayo has formed around the edges.  The less oil, the thicker the mayo and the more oil will make for a thinner mayonnaise.

NOTE

If you don’t own an immersion blender, don’t panic.  Place all the ingredients (not the oils) into a food processor bowl and whisk together.  With the motor running, add the oil in a steady stream until the mayo has formed and thickened to the desired consistency.  If you don’t add the oil in a small steady stream, the mayo will curdle.

Alright then, now you have the basics, venture into the weird and wonderful world of experimenting with flavorings.  If you thought you got accolades with the basic recipe, this will gain you the keys to a kingdom.   You might reconsider lathering even more onto your sammies and add another dollop to that french fry.

Here are some flavor combinations.  Add these ingredients to the bowl prior to emulsifying with the oils.

  • Herbs – dill, basil, tarragon, mint, cilantro, chives, scallions, parsley
    • Flavor combos – you can use any such as chives, dill and parsley or chives, basil, mint and Italian parsley.  Your choice
  • Cilantro lime – use lime zest and juice of a lime instead of the ACV
  • Flavored mustards – substitute any flavored mustard
  • Prepared horseradish 1 TSP and ½ TSP of fresh basil
  • Instead of maple syrup you can use agave or honey
  • Capers; finely chopped ¼ cup
  • Black Kalamata olives; about ¼ cup
  • Chopped dried cranberries ¼ cup –  it will give the mayo a pink look and make it sweet
  • Black and Pink peppercorns – 1 TSP combined
  • Sundried tomatoes packed in oil – 1 TBSP – finely chopped
  • Ginger and sesame oil – add 1 TBSP fresh grated ginger and 2 TBSP of sesame oil to the basic recipe
  • Sweet Chili sauce – 1 TBSP
  • Sriracha – ½ TSP or as much to make as spicy as you desire
  • Roasted red peppers – add ¼ cup of jarred roasted peppers – chopped
  • Green roasted bell pepper – roast a red bell pepper, remove skin and add lime juice and 1 raw garlic to the basic recipe
  • Wasabi Parmesan – ½ TSP wasabi powder and ¼ cup of parmesan 1 TBSP soy sauce
  • Roasted garlic – roast a whole head of garlic, add 8 of the cloves with a pinch of cayenne and a dash of Worcestershire
  • Smoked and sweet paprika – ½ TSP of each
  • Curry Powder – 1 TBSP of Madras curry powder, 1/2 a TSP of Garam Masala and fresh cilantro

You Might Also Like

Pantry Rat