Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tsp French or English style mustard
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cup) nut or grapeseed oil
- grind of black pepper, or bit of white or red
- pinch of salt
- juice of one lemon
Directions
To do a Real Mayonnaise
- Have everything at room temperature. To the bowl of your food processor, with the steel blade at ready.
Add in the egg yolks and mustard
- Turn on food processor, and let run for 10-15 seconds. Then, while still running, dribble in the oil in a slow steady stream.
- Turn off food processor and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Pulse a couple times to incorporate.
- Use corn, peanut or other oil. For the distinctive taste, some or all of the oil can be olive. Be careful though, in a Mayonnaise made with all olive oil, if the oil is the least bit heavy the Mayonnaise will be a heavy thing indeed.
- When all the oil has been added, shut off the machine and taste the Mayonnaise. You might want to add a bit more lemon juice or salt. This is also the time to add a bit of Tarragon, or a few chives, maybe a tiny touch of a fine curry powder, or anything else that might give it a distinctive flair. Whirl it few more seconds, and scrape into a stainless steel or glass bowl. Enjoy fresh and warm, or chill well before using. This will keep three or four days in the fridge.
Notes
Mayonnaise is another classic sauce that is quite wonderful, and can be made in the kitchen when needed. The excellence of Real Mayonnaise has been quite lost from the ubiquitous exposure of our society to that white stuff in jars with Mayonnaise written on the lable. Good as that stuff may be, it is not Real Mayonnaise.
This is a good recipe for Mayonnaise. It is a modern recipe using a food processor. A blender will do about the same thing, and anyone good with a whisk or even a silver fork will recognize the mechanics of the recipe, and how to adapt it to the different techniques.
Mayonnaise is the basis for many derivitive recipes. It is closely related to both Hollandaise and Béarnaise Sauces. Mayonnaise goes well with seafood, fruits, especially mixtures of tropical ones, and thin sliced smoked meats, fish and cheeses. Asparagus, artichokes and most raw vegetables are also natural foils for the taste and texture of a Real Mayonnaise.