Mayonnaise

An emulsion of egg yolk and oil where the only difficulty is the first thirty millilitres, and the cure for a split one is another yolk.

Egg. Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains egg.

Ingredients

• 2 egg yolks, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 300 ml flavourless oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• salt and white pepper

Method

1. THE FIRST THIRTY MILLILITRES OF OIL GO IN DROP BY DROP AND THE REST CAN BE POURED. A yolk can only take up so much oil at a time; given more than it can hold, the emulsion never forms and what you get is oily egg. Once it has started -- visibly thick, pale, holding the whisk mark -- it will accept a thin steady stream and the remaining two hundred and seventy millilitres take less time than the first thirty.
2. EVERYTHING AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. A cold yolk and cold oil emulsify reluctantly and split easily. Take the eggs out an hour before, or sit them in warm water for five minutes.
3. IF IT SPLITS, IT IS NOT LOST. A fresh yolk in a clean bowl, and the split mixture whisked into it a teaspoon at a time as though it were oil. It comes back nearly every time, and it is worth knowing before it happens rather than after.
4. Yolks, mustard, salt and pepper whisked together in a bowl until smooth. The mustard is an emulsifier as well as a flavour and makes the start noticeably easier.
5. The bowl steadied -- on a damp cloth twisted into a ring, so both hands are free.
6. OIL DROP BY DROP, whisking constantly. Count to three between the first dozen drops. It will look like nothing is happening and then suddenly thicken.
7. Once it has visibly taken, the oil in a thin steady stream, still whisking.
8. If it becomes too stiff to whisk before all the oil is in, a teaspoon of the vinegar loosens it and it will then take more oil.
9. The remaining vinegar and the lemon juice whisked in at the end. Tasted for salt.
10. It will be thicker than any bought mayonnaise and that is right.
11. Kept covered in the fridge three days. Raw yolk, so not for anyone who should avoid it.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under France · All recipes