Mayonnaise
My girlfriend and I took a one-night cooking class in Paris, where we learned that while the US treats mayonnaise as some kind of low-class embarrassment, in France chefs treat it as a major sauce. Vive la France!
For years I kept hearing the same advice: You really should make your own mayonnaise. But my mental image was competition chefs spending ten minutes whisking like maniacs to create the emulsion while slowly dribbling in oil without ever stopping their arms.
That may have been necessary once.
This is the future and we have tools. We are no longer peasants churning butter by hand.
With an immersion blender, mayonnaise takes about a minute to make. It’s better than store-bought, you control the ingredients, and it becomes the base for dozens of variations.
So here is the easy modern way to make mayonnaise.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- 1 cup neutral oil (such as Avocado Oil, grapeseed, or light olive oil, not EVOO)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Method
- Add the egg, mustard, lemon juice (or vinegar), and salt to a tall narrow container suitable for an immersion blender.
- Pour the oil on top without stirring.
- Place the immersion blender all the way at the bottom of the container.
- Turn the blender on and keep it at the bottom for several seconds while the emulsion forms.
- Once the mixture thickens into mayonnaise, slowly raise the blender to incorporate the remaining oil.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or lemon juice if desired.
The entire process should take about a minute. If the mayonnaise is thicker than you like, you can blend in a teaspoon or two of water to loosen it.
Variations
Possibly the biggest benefit of making your own mayonnaise is customizing it for the dish.
Garlic (Aioli-style)
Blend in 1 small crushed garlic clove or 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste. Excellent with roasted vegetables, potatoes, seafood, and grilled meats. Add some lemon juice for even more of an aioli.
Lemon Herb
Stir in finely chopped herbs such as parsley, dill, chives, or tarragon along with lemon zest. Works particularly well with fish or chicken.
Smoked Paprika
Add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika and a squeeze of lemon juice.
A good pairing with grilled meats, roasted vegetables, or fries.
Anchovy
Mash 1–2 anchovy fillets into a paste and blend into the mayonnaise. Adds savory depth and is excellent with salads, vegetables, or roasted meats.
Chili
Add chili paste, sriracha, or a pinch of cayenne for heat.
Great with fried foods, shrimp, or sandwiches.
Caesar
Blend in garlic, anchovy, lemon juice, and grated Parmesan to form the base of a Caesar-style dressing.