If you make your own mayonnaise at home, you know that keeping a nice, even emulsion is the ultimate goal. This is, of course, easier said than done. Until now.
New York Times food writer extraordinaire, Melissa Clark, shares a secret to smooth mayonnaise every time. In fact she calls this technique a "potential game changer."
Essentially the trick involves adding a teaspoon of water to the yolks before you add the oil, creating a nice, smooth emulsion. In researching the science behind this, Clark refers to Tucker Bunch, chef and instructor at Culinary Institute of America, who notes that "A little water physically broadens the space between fat droplets, helping them stay separate." So simple! We knew this was a good trick for fixing homemade mayonnaise after it has separated in the fridge but we hadn't ever tried it when making mayo from scratch. See our video on making mayonnaise here:
• How To Make Mayonnaise: The Video
Watch Melissa's Video: Making Mayonnaise
Related: She Taught Me About Mayonnaise and That's No Small Thing
(Image: Dana Velden)
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I recently made aioli with almonds instead of eggs. Not as smooth, admittedly, but really tasty. I added capers, dijon and roasted garlic. It's full of flavor, and it doesn't get that slightly oily texture that mayonnaise sometimes has - especially after a few days. I've been eating it on everything! Grilled veg, french fries, salads...
Oh my! How this little emulsion issue has given me fits when using my conventional blender. I dreaded making mayo and had my fingers crossed, as it were, just hoping it would work right each time! BUT... since my daughter gave me a Cuisinart Smart Stick for Mother's Day, this little—make that BIG—worry is in the past!
In the enclosed recipe booklet I saw the instructions for mayo and thought..."There's NO way it could work as simply and quickly as this recipe implies. NO WAY!" But I gave it a literal "whirl" anyway! And it did work! In seconds! WOOOHOOO!
Serious Eats does this - adds water - in their mayo recipe! And the stick blender makes it an easy thing to make in a jar, cap and toss in the fridge. I haven't bought mayo in forever because it's so easy to make!
I'd make my own mayo more often but the wife doesn't like it (raised on Hellmann's...YES one of those people). A few weeks ago she asked me to stop at the convenience store on the way home and pick up a couple of things including a jar of mayo...$6.99 for a jar of Hellmann's...yeah right, how much can it cost to make in huge quantities...35 cents a jar? What do they think were all idiots?
I heard that you can pretty much use anything in place of the eggs in mayonnaise. Tofu being the most commonly substituted ingredient.
One more reason to get stick blender...
Yes, I make a mayonaisse with silken tofu and lots of lemon juice (one of my favorite flavors) and only 2T of oil for a full cup. Tastes really good, much safer for buffets or picnics, and only one WW point per tablespoon.
This may have been already covered ad nauseum, but what's the best oil for making a killer mayo?
ATN654: I've had great luck with using a combo of good olive oil and neutral oil. Using all olive oil makes for a strong grassy flavor that can be a bit overpowering. I like half and half olive oil and sunflower seed oil with a tablespoon or two of minced shallot thrown in.
Michael Ruhlman has an outstanding section on this in Ratio. It doesn't have to be water. I've used white balsamic vinegar to good effect.