By Lail Hossain
Mayonnaise a.k.a mayo, the thick, creamy white condiment can easily be made at home. Homemade mayonnaise takes a little time and patience to make, but the results are well worth it. I have stories trying to make mayonnaise with my father when we had no access to Internet to learn the tips and tricks of making mayonnaise in a small town in Bangladesh. As a result, all our attempts were failures. I am sure we would have figured it out together if we tried few more times, but I never had the chance to perfect the recipe with him before he passed away. Sometimes, the oil blended and solidified with the egg, and at other times it didn’t, but the team that we were, we kept trying. No matter how hard, long or fast we took turns to whisk, the magic never happened.
Over the years, I shared the stories with few chef friends and they shared few tips and tricks. There are two factors in making mayonnaise. One, keep all the ingredients at room temperature. Two, mix the egg with very small drops of olive oil at the beginning. If you add too much oil in the beginning, the mayonnaise will be missed beyond repair. Add more oil, beat it harder, chances are it will remain liquid. The first drops of olive oil make the initial chemical bonds that solidify the sauce and set the foundation for the later product. You can add oil faster later, but not in the beginning.
Nonetheless, I just never got around the fear of eating raw eggs because I know even the most perfect-looking fresh egg can harbor Salmonella inside. However, when I heard about the Safest Choice eggs, I knew I had to try making mayonnaise again. The Safest Choice eggs are pasteurized by submerging in an all-natural water bath, and destroying all bacteria. With Safest Choice Eggs, this risk is eliminated, all without changing the nutritional content or flavor of the eggs. This means that pasteurized eggs from Safest Choice Eggs are safe for consumption before the eggs even enter your kitchen!
Mayonnaise, the classic sandwich spread, is the base for aioli. Mince your favorite fresh herbs and add to mayo and you will enter the versatile world of aioli. Let the sauce sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let flavors blend, and you have it. Besides the classic garlicky aioli, my other favorites are saffron Aioli, curry aioli and rosemary aioli. Aioli pairs very well to enjoy steamed fresh vegetables such as carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. I often pair aioli with salad, sandwich, fish, fries, and chicken. I often make different types of aioli to pair with different food. Mostly, I use store bought quality mayonnaise but this time I wanted to make Safest Choice, mayonnaise, at home.
With the mayo as the base, we made some saffron aioli as a sauce for broiled asparagus, curry aioli to dip some fries and rosemary aioli to slather over some sandwich.
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Mayonnaise
Ingredients
- 2 whole Safest Choice Eggs
- 1 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dijon style mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or according to taste
- 1 cup mixed oil (combination of oils or just extra virgin olive oil, canola oil or vegetable oil)
Instructions
- Put all ingredients except the oil in the food processor and turn the processor on to medium-high.
- Increase the speed to high and with the motor still running, add the oil a few drops at a time, then build up to a thin stream. You can gradually increase the stream until most of the oil is incorporated.
- Process until the mayonnaise thickens.
- Taste the mayonnaise, and adjust the seasoning and vinegar to taste. Very briefly blend again to incorporate any additions.
Notes
All ingredients need to be room temperature, so plan ahead by taking out the eggs at least an hour before you need them.
The fresher your eggs, the longer your mayonnaise will last.
Whole eggs (instead of yolks) are easier to use and gives a creamier, less “eggy” flavor.
As you know, I like taking shortcuts here and there, I switched my whisk for the food processor. The results were quicker and better.
Look at the expiration date on your eggs. Write that date on the lid of your storage container so you know when to toss your mayo (if it lasts that long) or after 10 days which ever comes earlier. Best to use within 24 hours.
If you are not using a blender, prepare mayonnaise in a container with a narrow bottom like a tall glass, pyrex measuring cup, etc. it’s more difficult to thoroughly emulsify in a wide-bottomed bowl.
Saffron Aioli
Description
Serve with grilled vegetables and seafood. Can be made two days ahead.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt, according to taste
Instructions
- Bring 1 tablespoon orange juice to boil in very small saucepan. Remove from heat.
- Add saffron. Cover and let steep 15 minutes.
- Mix in all the remaining ingredients.
- Season aioli to taste with salt.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let flavors blend.
Curry Aioli
Description
Serve with sweet potato fries or regular fries. Aioli can be made 2 days ahead.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- Dash of cumin powder
- Dash of turmeric
- Dash of red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ginger, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt, according to taste
Instructions
- Mix in all the ingredients.
- Season aioli to taste with salt.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let flavors blend.
Rosemary Aioli
Description
Serve with burgers and sandwiches. Aioli can be made 2 days ahead.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt, according to taste
Instructions
- Mix in all the ingredients.
- Season aioli to taste with salt.
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let flavors blend.
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