Thursday, 19 April 2012

30 Second Mayonnaise

Mayonnaise is not a difficult accompaniment to make by any means, but it does take some time. Once the ingredients, except the oil, have been put into the bowl, the latter is whisked in slowly, very slowly - trickled, in fact - in order to emulsify the ingredients without them separating into an oily mess. In essence the difficulty arises because oil and other, water based ingredients are being combined, and it doesn’t take an expert to know that oil and water don’t mix. It’s not rocket salad.

However, I have recently discovered (not invented!) a way to make mayonnaise without the need to trickle in the oil slowly; all you need is one of these:


….or something similar.
The high revolutions of this kind of food processor (mine is a Bamix) ensures that the oil is quickly processed into the remaining constituents of the recipe, thereby not allowing time for separation. It really is that simple.

Here’s one recipe – just remember that a stronger oil such as olive oil will change the taste of the finished mayonnaise quite radically.

One egg (at room temperature)
A dash of white wine/cider vinegar or lemon juice
A teaspoon of Mustard (I use Dijon, but English or Wholegrain work too)
A pinch of salt
A pinch of white pepper
300 mls of light oil (sunflower or vegetable)

Put all the ingredients into a tall narrow beaker and place your processor right at the bottom of the jug and turn it on. Do NOT do anything with the mixer other than tilt it very slightly in order to mix the resultant combination thoroughly and fast. Within seconds you will have a tasty, thick mayonnaise equal to anything you buy in a jar. Also remember, more oil makes a thicker sauce not a thinner one.

You can add minced or grated garlic, herbs, chilli – or pretty much anything else you like, but I would suggest you add these at the beginning of the process to ensure thorough incorporation. Another great additive would be a splash of tomato ketchup and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a great Marie Rose Sauce. It’s great to experiment.

Straightforward enough, but as always, practice makes perfect.