HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

By Vanetta

Homemade mayonnaise, though, is a different thing entirely. (And thank god for that, am I right?) There’s no question that homemade mayo tastes worlds better than the store-bought stuff. But historically, the problem with homemade mayo has been the emulsification process, which requires tedious attention to the snail-paced dribbling of oil into a bowl of egg yolk, acid, and seasonings while whisking as if your life depended on it. That process requires three arms and a steely mental prowess, making it appropriate for only a small fraction of home cooks.

About six months ago, Mark Bittman forever altered my home mayonization process. Have you ever noticed that tiny hole in the bottom of your food processor’s plunger-thingy? If that ain’t for dribbling oil while the blade attachment plays the part of your whisking arm, I don’t know what is. Give this recipe a try. You’ll end up with the best-tasting mayo you’ve ever had — and you’ll need it for the deviled egg recipe coming later this week.

Ingredients

• Ingredients
• One egg yolk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup mild-tasting olive oil

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

1. Into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade, place the egg yolk, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

2. Measure the oil into a liquid measuring cup with a spout. Turn on the food processor. Pour about half of the oil into the white plunger in the feed tube (see photo 3). The tiny hole at the bottom of the plunger will dribble the oil into the bowl of the processor, allowing the mayo to emulsify. When the oil level in the plunger gets low, pour in the remaining oil. The whole process should take about two to three minutes. When all the oil has dribbled into the bowl, stop the processor. Stir with a rubber spatula to incorporate any last bits of oil. Taste mayo for seasoning, adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.