Any restaurant or friend you have that makes homemade mayonnaise will tell you their mayo recipe is the best, so I don’t feel particularly special when I say that mine is too. Where I do feel a little special, is when I say that mine is an excellent all-purpose mayonnaise and is incredibly easy to make.  I have had a lot of house-made restaurant aioli* for sandwiches and French fries and dips of all kinds, and while many of them are excellent, they are only excellent for the pairing, and not something you could use throughout the week on all the normal things you want to use a good basic mayonnaise on.  A big part of this is that most house-made mayonnaise has a distinct lack of vinegar. I don’t know what made the restaurant industry shun vinegar in their mayo, perhaps it’s that it reminds people too much of store bought mayo? But a great versatile mayonnaise just isn’t the same without it.

Mayonnaise is an incredibly simple process of egg+fat+acid. The ingredients emulsify as you whip them together, eventually creating a thick, smooth texture. As long as you have these things in the right ratio, you can use just about anything you want.  So after trying your first mayonnaise it is worth experimenting.  You can use any kind of oil for your fat, or any combination of oil. Be creative! Toasted sesame oil, olive oil, flavored oils, flavored vinegars, pickle juice, lime juice, Meyer lemons and Eureka lemons are especially nice! Keep in mind that 75% of mayonnaise is the oil, so if you use a low grade or cheap cooking oil, your mayonnaise will come out tasting flat and bitter. Expensive flavorful oils can be paired with light neutral oils like safflower. You can add anything you like to flavor it, raspberries, dill, basil, whole mustard grains, chilies, cilantro, mint. There is truly no limit to what you can do. But the more creative you get, the less versatile your mayonnaise is, which is why it’s always good to get a handle on a basic recipe first.

For a basic mayonnaise recipe you will use 1 egg, 1 cup of oil, and a couple tablespoons of something acidic. This will make 1 pint of mayonnaise and last a little over 1 week in the refrigerator. Below is my variation, based on my desire for a bright tangy spread that won’t seep into bread but can still be used as a dip:

Equipment:

Zester

Small food processor

Ingredients:

1 lemon zested and juiced

1 teaspoon of apple cider or red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of dry mustard powder (optional)

¼ teaspoon of coarse sea salt (use less if it kosher, iodized, or fine grain)

1 egg

¼ cup safflower oil

¾ cup olive oil (I use Frantoia)

[nggallery id=20]

Method:

In a food processor combine the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, salt, mustard powder and egg

Have the safflower oil measured out and ready to pour, keep the olive oil in the bottle, open and ready to use.

Turn on your mixer and begin slowly but steadily adding the safflower oil, immediately moving to the olive oil.

You will eventually notice the sound of the mixing changing and the processor will start to shake or vibrate. When this happens (usually after 2/3 cup of oil is added) turn off the blender and check the texture.  When you touch it a firm peak should form. Once this happens you usually want to push it a little further and add a tiny bit more oil.  1 cup total is usually perfect for me, but depending on the size and freshness of your egg you may need more or less. Don’t go by the amount of oil, go by the texture.

*aioli is a mayonnaise that has been flavored with garlic.  In the states, the term is becoming ubiquitous with “good” or “homemade”, but don’t let sub-par restaurants fool you with the fancy lingo, it is not an aioli if there isn’t garlic in it.

Photographs by Rosey Lakos at roseylakosphotography.com.