A Recipe For The Best Home-Made Mayonnaise

This is it. The best mayonnaise I’ve made after trying lots of different versions.

It must have been the recent arrival of Patrice Newell’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) that led me to think about olive oil and its classic uses so the other day I decided to make just one cup of perfect ‘blobby’ mayonnaise.

Two things have always bugged me when making mayonnaise. Quite a few recipes suggest using olive oil only but I always find the taste far too overwhelming. This mayonnaise has a great base flavour because I use half EVOO and half grapeseed oil.

The other thing is that many recipes make far too much such that you’re pouring oil, slowly, for a very long time and you end up with so much mayonnaise you feel you should open a sandwich shop.

I try to keep garlic, slowly poached in olive oil, on hand in the fridge for pizzas and the like. I happened to have some on hand so I added a few cloves to the mayonnaise and so made ‘aioli’ which just means garlic mayonnaise. Try this idea, I think you’ll like it, but it’s optional.

Also, use the small bowl of a food processor to make this mayonaisse. The large bowl is far too big to combine the small quantity. Of course, if you’ve missed the gym this week you can give your arm a real workout by whisking the ingredients by hand, a strenuous but worthwhile activity if you have the time.

Important hints - thank you Alice Waters -

• Raw garlic that has been well mashed can be used instead of cooked garlic
• Have all ingredients at room temperature before starting
• Add a small amount of water to the egg yolk before adding the oil helps prevent ’separation’
• If the mixture separates whilst adding the oil, stop, put another yolk in a fresh bowl with a little water and slowly whisk in the first ‘broken’ sauce then start adding the oil again slowly.

Mayonnaise

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon confit garlic - optional
• 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 125ml EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) - I like a nice mellow-flavoured one, nothing too peppery
• 125ml grapeseed oil

Method

1. Blend the yolks, mustard, garlic (if using) and lemon juice till thick and doubled in bulk - a minute or so if using a food processor
2. With the motor running, slowly add the combined oils drop by drop till the mixture starts to thicken. You can then pour a little faster but I find keeping a slow, steady stream leads to a successful result.
3. Season with salt, a little more lemon juice - keep tasting till you get it how you like it

Goes with: eggs, vegetables, meat and fish …

Add freshly chopped herbs, just before serving … great on poached chicken sandwiches.

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