Assorted Mayonnaises

Directions

1. 1
   Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, and salt in a food processor or blender.
2. 2
   Turn the machine on and start by adding the oil very slowly, in a thin stream, and then gradually increasing the amount you add.
3. 3
   When youve added all the pure oil and the mayonnaise starts to thicken, transfer the mayonnaise to a bowl and gently work in the extra virgin olive oil using a wooden spoon.
4. 4
   As the mayonnaise gets very thick, add water as needed.
5. 5
   Add more salt if needed.
6. 6
   VARIATIONS:
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   RED BELL PEPPER MAYONNAISE
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   Yield: 1 3/4 cups
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   4 red bell peppers, charred, peeled, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
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    1 cup Basic Mayonnaise
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    Salt and pepper to taste
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    Combine the peppers with the Basic Mayonnaise and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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    MUSHROOM MAYONNAISE
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    Yield: 2 cups
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    1 pound mushrooms of any variety
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    1 cup Basic Mayonnaise
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    Salt and pepper to taste
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    Clean the mushrooms and chop by hand or in a food processor until fairly fine.
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    Be careful if youre using a food processor to avoid making a puree; about 10 short pulses should do it.
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    Put the mushrooms in a small pot over medium heat.
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    When theyve released their water, after 1 to 2 minutes, turn the heat up to high and boil, stirring now and then, until the mixture is dry, about 10 minutes.
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    Let cool and fold into the Basic Mayonnaise.
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    Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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    MOREL MAYONNAISE
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    Yield: 1 1/2 cups
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    Regular mushroom mayonnaise is great but dried morels give this mayonnaise a distinctive smoky flavor.
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    1 ounce dried morels, soaked in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes and moved around every 5 minutes
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    1 cup Basic Mayonnaise
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    salt and pepper to taste
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    Drain the morels into a bowl, squeezing any additional liquid out of them; note that you can save the liquid for sauces, but dont add it to the mayonnaise unless you want it to be thin.
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    Chop the morels fine by hand or in a food processoravoid over processing and turning them into a pasteand stir them into the Basic Mayonnaise.
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    Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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    CAPER AND HERB MAYONNAISE
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    Yield: 1 3/4 cups
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    1 cup Basic Mayonnaise
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    1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
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    4 tablespoons capers, drained and chopped coarse leaves from 15 sprigs fresh tarragon, chopped
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    1 small bunch parsley, large stems removed, leaves and small stems chopped
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    salt and pepper to taste
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    Combine the Basic Mayonnaise with the other ingredients.
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    Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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    HAZELNUT MAYONNAISE
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    Yield: 1 1/4 cups
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    This mayonnaise catches people by surprise because its redolent of hazelnuts but there are no hazelnuts in it.
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    Only a small amount of hazelnut oil is worked into a basic mayonnaise.
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    Its important to use a hazelnut oil thats been made with roasted nutsit will have much more flavor and be far less perishable.
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    As of now there is only one producerLe Blancwho makes his oil this way.
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    Its expensive, too, so unless you use a lot of it, buy the smallest amount possible and keep it in the freezer.
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    1/4 cup hazelnut oil made from roasted nuts (Le Blanc is a good brand)
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    1 cup Basic Mayonnaise
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    salt and pepper to taste
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    Mix the oil, a few teaspoons at a time, into the Basic Mayonnaise.
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    Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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    CURRY MAYONNAISE
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    Yield: 1 cup
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    1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or more as needed)
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    1 tablespoon curry powder (or more as needed)
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    2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped fine (optional)
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    1 cup Basic Mayonnaise
60. 60
    Heat the oil and curry powder in a small pan over medium heat while stirring until you smell the curry, about 1 minute.
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    Stir this mixture into the Basic Mayonnaise.
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    Taste to judge if the amount of curry is enough; if not, heat some more and add it to the mayonnaise.
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    If the mayonnaise starts to get too thick (which can cause it to break) thin it with a teaspoon or two of water.
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    Stir in the cilantro.
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    SAFRRON AIOLI
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    Yield: 2 1/2 cups
67. 67
    4 egg yolks
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    4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
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    1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
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    1 teaspoon saffron threads soaked in
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    3 tablespoons water for 30 minutes
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    3 medium cloves garlic, chopped and crushed with the side of a chefs knife
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    1 cup pure olive oil or vegetable oil
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    1 cup extra virgin olive oil
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    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice, and teaspoon of salt.
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    Add the saffron with its soaking liquid and beat in the garlic and pure olive oil with a whisk.
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    (Alternatively, you can use a food processor.)
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    Start by adding the oil very slowly and then gradually increase the amount you add at one time.
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    When youve added all the pure oil, and the mayonnaise starts to thicken, transfer the mayonnaise to a mixing bowl (if you were using a food processor) and gently work in the extra virgin olive oil using a wooden spoon.
80. 80
    Add more salt if needed.
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    TIPS FOR MAKING AIOLI:
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    Aioli is garlic mayonnaise traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, but most versions now are made in a blender, food processor, or by hand with a whisk.
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    The problem with any method but the mortar and pestle is that the hard beating action turns the extra virgin olive oil bitter.
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    One solution is to work the oil very gently into the egg yolks with a wooden spoon, but this is tedious since the oil has to be added very slowly.
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    Another solution is to make a mayonnaise with pure olive oilwhich is essentially flavorless and doesnt turn bitter when beatenusing a hand whisk.
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    Once the mayonnaise has established itself, and you can add the oil more quickly, switch to a wooden spoon to gently work in the extra virgin olive oil.