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. We had no access to Internet to learn the tips and tricks of making mayonnaise in a small town in Bangladesh. We were trying to get creamy mayonnaise using a manual beater in the hardest possible way. All our attempts turned into failures but I still remember the excitement and anticipation I had every time we attemted. 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 it in 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, where computer-controlled temperature zones monitor and assure accurate pasteurization by destroying all bacteria.On Safest Choice Eggs, this risk is eliminated. This is because the eggs that they produce undergo an all-natural pasteurization process using a gentle warm water bath, 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 #SafestChoice, 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.
Beyond the traditional aioli what other creative aioli have you made or tasted?
- 2 whole Safest Choice Eggs
- 1 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dijon style mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt, or according to taste
- 1 cup mixed oil (combination of oils or just extra virgin olive oil, canola oil or vegetable oil)
- 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.
2. The fresher your eggs, the longer your mayonnaise will last.
3. Whole eggs (instead of yolks) are easier to use and gives a creamier, less “eggy” flavor.
4. As you know, I like taking shortcuts here and there, I switched my whisk for the food processor. The results were quicker and better.
5. 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.
6. 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.
Recipe : Saffron Aioli
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
Steps:
1. Bring 1 tablespoon orange juice to boil in very small saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Add saffron. Cover and let steep 15 minutes.
3. Mix in all the remaining ingredients.
4. Season aioli to taste with salt.
5. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let flavors blend.
Note:
1. Serve with grilled vegetable and seafood.
2. Aioli can be made 2 days ahead.
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Recipe : Curry Aioli
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
Steps:
1. Mix in all the ingredients.
2. Season aioli to taste with salt.
3. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let flavors blend.
Note:
1. Serve with sweet potato fries or regular fries.
2. Aioli can be made 2 days ahead.
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Recipe : Rosemary Aioli
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
Steps:
1. Mix in all the ingredients.
2. Season aioli to taste with salt.
3. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so to let flavors blend.
Note:
1. Serve with burgers and sandwiches.
2. Aioli can be made 2 days ahead.
Disclaimer: Thanks to Davidson’s Safest Choice Eggs for sponsoring this post in partnership with Honest Cooking.
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Lail, fantastic post. Last time I tried to make Mayo I failed, now I know why and what NOT to do next time. Great tips! Oh.. and I wish I could get these safe eggs!
im not much of an mayo peson but that saffron aioli is calling my name!
I did not try homemade mayo before, may be because I am trying to consume less mayo, but I am a fan of homemade stuff and it for sure better than store bought mayo. Thanks for the recipe and the tips.
By far the best way of making Mayo I’ve found is with a stick blender and a tall beaker just a little wider than the blender. All the ingredients from your favourite recipe go in at once including the oil. Start with the blender at the bottom (gets that initial process going you mention). When you see the creamy bits form lift the blender to introduce the rest of the oil and work up and down a few times.
It’s worked maybe 30 times for me so far without one single fail!
I have been thinking of buying a stick blender for a while and heard before also that it’s the easiest to make mayo with the a stick blender. Thank you so much for your detailed explanation Steve for how to make mayo with a stick blender. Glad to have your insights. Hope to see you around soon again. Thank you!