Recently I was making a dish that called for mayonnaise, and I realized that one of my culinary curiositiesa has been the desire to learn how to make my own. I've seen it done on TV, and it looked simple enough. Furthermore, I reasoned that it had to be a healthier and tastier alternative than the bottled mayonnaise I buy at the store. A quick look at the bottled dressing list of ingredients confirmed my suspicions, starting with the ubiquitous soybean oil. Surely I could do better.
I pulled open my copy of James Peterson's Sauces, the 1992 James Beard Foundation Cookbook of the Year and deservedly so. Here you will find everything you could possibly want to know about sauce making, including gravies and liasons of every type. Sure enough, he had a recipe for mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise relies upon egg yolks to create an emulsion, which is the blending of fat and liquid that normally remain as separate as.....well, oil and water!
True mayonnaise is made with raw egg yolks. However Peterson also provides directions for a cooked version of mayo, called a sabayon, for those who shudder at the remote prospect of contracting illness from raw eggs. I recommend you use only organic eggs from free range chickens, for both your own protection, and the respectful treatment of animals who feed you.
I was a little nervous about making the mayo. The technique calls for mixing the egg yolks and all other ingredients except the oil together, then very slowly adding the oil as I whisked it to create the emulsion. Would I be able to make the emulsion, or would I end up with an oily mess?
Turns out, it was easy, especially if you add the oil slowly in the beginning--no more than a tablespoon at a time. I even set the oil down in between brief bouts of whisking, and the dreaded "broken sauce" never materialized. What I did get was a tasty, home-made mayonnaise that was used to shmear on ciabatta bread and mix in with a garbanzo spread.
Was it worth it? Boy howdy!
I made a very conservative amount the first time, but Peterson's recipe (below) will make a quart (or one liter) of sauce, which will keep fresh in the fridge for up to four days. (I used merely one egg yolk, about a tablespoon of prepared Dijon mustard, a hearty dash of spices, and white wine vinegar with perhaps a quarter cup of oil...if memory serves correctly. Even at these rough "guestimates" the results were delicious. In other words....add ingredients to taste and enough oil to make the consistency you like.)
Peterson cautions, do not leave fresh mayo at room temperature for more than 24 hours. Also, never use aluminum containers to store mayo as it will turn gray.
FRESH MAYONNAISE RECIPE
6 egg yolks
2 tablespoons mustard (optional--I used Dijon)
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
pinch of white ground pepper (I used black)
1 to 2 tablespoons wine vinegar or lemon joice
3 cups safflower oil
(note: I used Canola and a small amount of extra virgin oilive oil, because I was out of Canola and had no Safflower oil on hand. Olive oil, along with garlic, is used in making aioli, and will impart a different, Mediteranean flavor to the sauce--a tasty alternative).
1. Combine the egg yolks, all the spices and mustard, and half the vinegar or lemon juice. Whisk until smooth.
2. Slowly whisk the oil into the egg mixture, no more than a tablespoon at a time. (Hint: try pouring the oil down the side of the bowl so it is added in small amounts).
3. As the mixture thickens and the emulsion is established, you can add the oil a little more quickly. Keep whisking.
4. When it becomes very thick, add the remaining vinegar or lemon juice to loosen it.
Voila! Next time you "hold the mayo", it willl be your own!
When I order *gasp* fast food, I always order it without mayonnaise. But homemade??? I love it. I adore it. Pass the pommes frite!
Posted by: Amy | February 05, 2006 at 10:30 PM
Hi Andrea,
This looks great! Have you tried making it with grapeseed oil? I prefer that oil to canola, better taste and even better for you.
Posted by: Elise | February 10, 2006 at 01:28 PM