Maionese Fatta in Casa

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Heavy medium mixing bowl
• •Large balloon whisk
• •Measuring cup with pouring spout
• •Damp kitchen towel to anchor the bowl
• •Glass jar with lid for storage

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your ingredients

   Set the egg yolks on the counter at least one hour before you begin. Cold yolks will not emulsify properly. This is chemistry, not suggestion. The oil must also be at room temperature. Measure everything before you start. Once you begin whisking, you cannot stop to hunt for the lemon juice.

   If you forgot to temper your eggs, place them in a bowl of warm water for ten minutes. Not hot. Warm. You are bringing them to room temperature, not cooking them.
2. 2

   Establish the base

   Place the egg yolks, salt, and mustard in a medium bowl. The bowl should be heavy enough to stay still while you whisk with vigor. Set it on a damp kitchen towel to prevent spinning. Whisk the yolks until they thicken slightly and turn pale yellow, about one minute. The mustard is not for flavor. It contains lecithin, which helps the emulsion hold.

3. 3

   Begin adding oil drop by drop

   Here is where patience matters. Add the oil one drop at a time, whisking constantly. I mean this literally. One drop, whisk, one drop, whisk. Do this for the first quarter cup of oil. If you rush, the emulsion will break and you will have a bowl of greasy yellow liquid. There are no shortcuts. This takes approximately five minutes.

   Pour the oil into a measuring cup with a spout. Control is everything. Some cooks drape a towel over the measuring cup and let the oil seep through drop by drop. Others use a squeeze bottle. Find what works for you.
4. 4

   Increase to a thin stream

   Once you have incorporated the first quarter cup and the mixture looks thick and creamy, you may add the remaining oil in a very thin, steady stream, whisking constantly. Very thin. The width of a pencil lead. Continue until all the oil is incorporated. The mayonnaise should be thick enough to hold soft peaks when you lift the whisk.

5. 5

   Finish with lemon and water

   Whisk in the lemon juice. The mayonnaise will loosen slightly and brighten in color. Add the warm water. This stabilizes the emulsion and lightens the texture. Taste for salt. The mayonnaise should taste clean and bright, with the olive oil present but not overwhelming.

6. 6

   Store properly

   Transfer to a clean glass jar and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate immediately. The mayonnaise will thicken further as it chills. Use within five days. If it separates slightly, whisk it back together before serving.

Chef Tips

• •Use a mild, buttery olive oil, not a peppery Tuscan one. Intense olive oils become bitter when emulsified. If your only olive oil is strongly flavored, use half olive oil and half neutral vegetable oil.
• •If your mayonnaise breaks, all is not lost. Start with a fresh egg yolk in a clean bowl and whisk the broken mayonnaise into it drop by drop, as if it were oil. The new yolk will rescue the emulsion.
• •A pinch of white pepper is traditional in some regions. Add it at the end if you like. Black pepper leaves visible specks, which some find unattractive in a white sauce.
• •For aioli, the garlic mayonnaise of the Mediterranean, pound two cloves of garlic to a paste with the salt before adding the egg yolks. The garlic should dissolve completely into the sauce.

Advance Preparation

• •Mayonnaise must be made fresh but keeps well for five days refrigerated. Make it the morning you need it, or the day before.
• •Bring refrigerated mayonnaise to cool room temperature before serving for best texture and flavor. Ten minutes on the counter is sufficient.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 23g)