Mayonnaise
There is some dispute over whether mayonnaise is one of the classic "mother" sauces of French cuisine, or not. Regardless, homemade mayonnaise is so much better than store-bought. It can, absolutely, be made with a blender but we decided to demonstrate the old-school method to show just how easy it is.
- 2 egg yolks (room temperature)
- 1-2 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh, or use vinegar)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon mustard powder (or dijon mustard)
- 1 cup neutral oil (we used sunflower)
- black or white pepper (to taste, optional)
When making an emulsion you must resist the temptation to go quickly. In the beginning you need to be adding the oil drop by drop. As you continue to whisk it you can increase the addition of the oil to a drizzle and then a steady, thin stream.
Warm the bowl with hot water. Dump the water and (mostly) dry the bowl. Add the room temperature egg yolks and start whisking them until they lose their stickiness. I did that for about 1 minute and a half.
While continuing to whisk, add the lemon juice, mustard powder and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Slowly start adding the oil, a drop or two at a time while whisking continuously. As the emulsion comes together and starts to get thicker you can add the oil in a drizzle and then, finally, in a steady, thin stream until it is all incorporated.
Refrigerate.
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The "mother sauces" that Rob referred to are: Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Hollandaise, and Tomato. Some people include a 6th, mayonnaise. All the sauces can become secondary sauces, like a béchamel becoming a mornay sauce. |
