Mayonnaise
The cold mother emulsion — egg yolk and oil
Some cooks count mayonnaise as a sixth mother sauce, and they have a point: aioli, gribiche, rémoulade, tartare and a dozen others all begin here.
Everything at room temperature, and the oil slowly at the start. A cold yolk and a fast hand is how it breaks.
Ingredients
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower
- Kosher salt and white pepper
Instructions
- Whisk the yolks, mustard and half the vinegar together in a bowl with a damp cloth beneath it to stop it sliding.
- Add the oil literally drop by drop at first, whisking constantly. After about 2 tablespoons have gone in the emulsion will thicken and hold — you will feel it change.
- Now add the rest of the oil in a thin steady stream, whisking all the while.
- Loosen with the remaining vinegar and season with salt and white pepper.
- If it is stiffer than you want, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water.
Notes
- If it splits: start again with a fresh yolk in a clean bowl and whisk the broken mixture into it drop by drop.
- Half olive oil gives more flavour; all olive oil can turn bitter when whisked hard.
- Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Raw yolks — use very fresh eggs.