“La Mayonnaise”
Inspiration: In the 1970s I was hired by an authentic French bistro in Toronto. Pierre — the owner who spoke no english — had plenty of tricks to share with the eager (naive?) bi-lingual teenager I was then.
My first task each day was to make “La Mayonnaise”. From scratch of course. I used an old blender with regular success, but sometimes the eggs weren’t quite right, and she (la mayonnaise) didn’t quite ‘take’. It was a crushing personal defeat when this happened, but “La Mayonnaise” could usually be rescued with a bit of quick thinking and perseverance. Once you learn to make mayonnaise with real flavor, you’ll never want to be without.
The recipe taught to me by Pierre is the same one I still use today. In our house, it’s a must-have. Given a choice of true flavorful mayonnaise, or store bought, my children always ask for the thick creamy golden variety that makes everything taste better.
But things have changed a bit. Now instead of pure olive oil, I usually use a blend of olive and omega-rich flax oil. And now I have even more fun making La Mayonnaise because I don’t have to wash a a plastic Cuisinart bowl when I’m done. The mayonnaise is perfect every time, and the stainless steel Thermomix bowl washes itself with a drop of soap and some warm water. I love it!
As it turns out, my long-standing recipe for mayonnaise is very similar to the one found in the “Everyday Cooking for Every Family” Thermomix Cookbook. That’s because mayonnaise is made much the same way in every kitchen. So here below you’ll find a basic mayonnaise recipe, with room to accommodate a sprinkling of your own preferences and personality.
La Mayonnaise
1 – 2 cloves garlic (depending on how you enjoy garlic… one is plenty, two is “serious” (!) )
1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard (at room temperature) Any mustard will likely do, but for me there is no alternative to Dijon
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar (at room temperature)
250 g oil (be prepared to add more oil as needed)
(I use a blend of oils: about 200 g of Extra Virgin Cold-Pressed olive oil and about 50 g Fresh Pressed Flax Oil. This way the sharp olive oil flavor is tempered with a smoother, healthier omega-rich flax oil.)
- Chop garlic for 5 seconds on speed 9, then push garlic down the sides of bowl with a spatula.
- Insert the Thermomix Butterfly. Add egg yolk, salt, pepper, Dijon mustard. Process for 1 minute on speed 4. While Butterfly continues to spin on speed 4, drizzle oil onto the lid while keeping the measuring cup in place. Continue adding oil in a steady stream for 2-4 minutes, quickly adding the wine vinegar after the last of the oil.
- At this point I stop things for a little taste test. You can add more oil if you like — salt, pepper, or seasonings. We enjoy adding garden herbs when in season, such as a pinch or two of chopped basil, chives, oregano, or rosemary. (Only add rosemary if you are familiar with this herb, as it can easily overpower with its pungent properties.) Consider adding capers at the end too, especially if you intend to serve this mayonnaise with fish.
I wish to ask- how did you rescue the mayonnaise when it wasn’t emulsifiying? and how do I do it in the thermomix?
- My first attempt at thermomix mayo was not a great success.
Thanks darryl
Hi Darryl – thanks for asking… There’s more than one way to rescue a mayonnaise when it’s not emulsifying, and largely we rely on ‘feeling’ more than anything else. Easy enough to say, for those of us who have experience making mayonnaise… but perhaps not so easy to teach by without being there in person.
One way to intercept the failing emulsification is by cheating it with the addition a spoonful of prepared mayonnaise. For example, I usually have both in the fridge… real home-made flavourful mayonnaise, and also a jar of store-bought mayonnaise for emergency use. If the mayonnaise emulsification is not ‘catching’ then usually it can be rescued by adding a spoon of previously made mayo (from the store or home-made) to the Thermomix, blending that in for a few seconds, and then resuming with the process as outlined in the recipe.
Also, it’s possible to stop the process if it appears to not be working, and add another egg yolk, getting that to emulsify, and then resuming.
This link goes to a page from the San Francisco Chronicle with some really useful info on how to rescue a broken mayonnaise. I recommend reading the entire article for a thorough understanding on making mayonnaise.
It is important to have all your mayonnaise ingredients at room temperature, and to add the oil VERY SLOWLY. This is true of all mayonnaise attempts, but especially true for the uninitiated. It may feel unnecessary to do so, but it truly is important.
Making your own mayonnaise is so very gratifying, more healthy, and once mastered.. so much more fun. You can play with different seasonings and really impress yourself and others. I hope you keep trying and that the information above is of some help –