HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE
Mayonnaise is one of those widely used condiments that is actually very easy to make at home. Truth: homemade mayonnaise does not exactly taste or look like store-bought, and in my opinion, in the best possible way. I’ve never been a fan of mayonnaise, not even as a child, but when I learned to make it from scratch, I was smitten. Ever since it’s been on my rolodex of go-to versatile sauces that I make often, and for much more than sandwiches and burgers.
Springtime is a time of the year when this is truer than ever. When my kid was little and I was experimenting with ways to get him to eat more green vegetables, I leaned on fatty sauces. Asparagus season was in full force and I discovered that he was a fan of lightly blanched, crisp asparagus that he dipped in mayo and enjoyed with gusto (it works with other vegetables too). To this day, if I serve asparagus he always expects a bowl of mayo, which is great, except that he doesn’t eat them otherwise - oh well!
The cherry on top is that fat soluble vitamins in vegetables are best absorbed eaten alongside healthy fats. Asparagus is a great source of the fat-soluble vitamin K, so asparagus + mayonnaise = win-win!
Makes about 1 cup
1 egg yolk
3⁄4 cup of avocado oil (or olive oil, but see note*)
Juice of 1⁄2 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
Small spoonful of Dijon or grain mustard (optional)
*I like to use avocado oil because it’s more neutral tasting. Olive oil works just fine, but will add a little bit of bitterness, which doesn’t bother me but you’ve been warned.
Instructions
I’ll start by saying that most people recommend that you start with the yolk and oil at room temperature. To be honest, I almost never plan ahead of time to take the egg out of the fridge and give it enough time to come to room temperature. More often than not, I’m working with a coldish yolk, and the mayonnaise still works out pretty ok.
Put the yolk in a clean bowl and quickly whisk it. Then, begin to add the oil very slowly, one drop at a time. This part is crucial, to start very slowly with tiny amounts of oil while whisking the whole time. As you go, the yolk and oil will start to come together, emulsifying. Once you see it incorporate nicely – the texture will become more clearly the texture of mayonnaise- you can add the rest of the oil faster, pouring it as you whisk, rather than drop by drop. The emulsification will happen most probably when you’ve used half of the oil. Up until now, you might find the process tricky and annoying, but I promise that the more you do it, you’ll find yourself doing it effortlessly and quickly.
Once you’ve used all of the oil, add the lemon juice and salt. Whisk again. The mayonnaise will loosen a bit. Add the mustard, if using. Whisk again and taste.
Adjust the seasoning to your taste.
This is the basic recipe, but you can get creative with add-ons. Some that I like:
Minced garlic
Chopped dill
Lemon zest
Spoonful of miso
Sriracha
Other chopped fresh herbs.
Troubleshooting
Sometimes – this has happened to me often- the mayonnaise will break and not come together. If this happens, I’ve found a way to fix it and not throw away the oil and egg I’ve used so far. It doesn’t work all of the time, but give it a try before you discard your first try:
Set aside the ‘broken’ mayo. Start again with another clean bowl and clean whisk, an egg yolk and oil. Begin the process of whisking the yolk with drops of oil. Once this new mayonnaise comes together nicely—with the oil and yolk clearly emulsified—you can begin to incorporate the one that ‘broke.’ Work it in slowly as if you were adding plain oil. Continue the process as you would for the basic mayo.