I am a huge mayonnaise fan. I can eat it with almost anything. It’s one of the first things in my grocery cart and I panic when I am running out. It is what I believe to be the true condiment for french fries. People like me are a dying breed I tell you. There is always a bottle in the cupboard, but when I have time, I like to whip some up from scratch.
I’m sure this is common knowledge, but let me just reiterate so nobody misses out: No bottle of mayonnaise on your grocery shelf can compare to homemade mayonnaise. I don’t care if it costs a king’s ransom and is made from the oil of a special nut only found on the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro which is only harvested during a full moon.
My grandmother makes, in my humble opinion, the best mayonnaise. Even as a child I loved its strength and headiness. You see, she used extra virgin olive oil which really lent the mayonnaise a divinely intense flavor, along with a deeper color. It elevated regular sandwiches and tuna spread into sublime versions of their otherwise ordinary selves…not to mention the wonders it could do for a potato salad! It was a condiment worthy of the grandest dishes.
I have a ton of mayonnaise recipes stashed about, but the one I’m posting here is a variation on a recipe from Donna Hay’s Modern Classics Book I. I like it because it is simple, and a good basic recipe to have. Instead of using the vegetable oil that the recipe calls for, I used olive oil just as my grandmother does. I also used black pepper instead of white because I actually like the look of the black specks in my mayo.
I used my food processor for this because I had been wanting to try the “emulsifying disc” attachment. Doesn’t that sound mysteriously dangerous? Like some alien weapon? “Quick! Take cover! It’s launching the emulsifying diiiiiiisc!”
Mayonnaise with olive oil
(Adapted from Basic Mayonnaise from Donna Hay’s Modern Classics Book I)
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- In a blender or food processor, process the egg, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper until well combined.
- While the motor is running, pour the oil in a slow, thin, steady stream and process until the mixture is thick and creamy (with the emulsifying disc it came together very quickly…not bad at all for its first time out).
That’s it! You’ve got wonderful, tasty, homemade mayonnaise! Use it with your tuna spread or egg salad for outstanding sandwiches. It makes a great condiment as well for fish dishes…especially fried fish. Blend in some roasted garlic for an awesome aioli. You can also use this as a base for salad dressings. And of course, it is perfect with french fries :)