MAYONNAISE

The cheaper, paler olive oils are best for making mayonnaise, as
their milder flavour won’t mask the taste of the food the
mayonnaise is served with. Alternatively, use corn oil or groundnut
oil, or a mixture of olive oil and one of the cheaper, bland oils.
3 egg yolks
1⁄2 pint (300 ml) oil
3–4 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1⁄2 tsp English mustard
Salt & white pepper
Method
1. Separate the eggs and put the yolks in a cold bowl with the
mustard, salt and white pepper; mix the vinegar and lemon
juice together in a cup.
2. Beat the egg yolks for a minute then start adding the oil, drop
by drop, to prevent the eggs curdling. Once the mayonnaise
starts to thicken the oil can be added in a steady stream – but
don’t stop beating. (As always, it’s better to use an electric hand
whisk.)
3. Add half the vinegar and lemon juice as soon as the
mayonnaise starts getting too thick to handle easily then carry
on adding the rest of the oil.
4. Beat the rest of the vinegar and lemon juice in – the
mayonnaise should be thick and smooth – and adjust the
seasoning, adding more vinegar if you like a runnier texture
(although this makes it salad cream rather than mayonnaise).
To rescue curdled mayonnaise
Put 1 teaspoon each of hot water and vinegar into a clean bowl
and add the curdled mayonnaise a little at a time, beating
continuously until the sauce is smooth. (If the mayonnaise curdled
while you were making it, once it’s smooth again you can carry on
adding the oil a few drops at a time until it’s finished.)
Alternatively, try gradually beating the curdled mayonnaise into a
couple of tablespoons of ready-made mayonnaise.
Lemon and mustard mayo:Mix 1 teaspoon of mustard and lemon
juice according to taste with approximately 4 tablespoons of
mayonnaise.
Pink mayonnaise (otherwise known as Marie Rose sauce): Add 1
teaspoon of tomato ketchup and 1⁄2 teaspoon of paprika to 1⁄4 pint
(150 ml) of mayonnaise.
Spinach mayonnaise: Put a handful of fresh spinach into a very little
boiling water then drain and either purée the spinach with a hand
blender or just chop it finely. Stir into about 1⁄4 pint (150 ml) of
mayonnaise with some chopped, fresh parsley.
Cucumber and yoghurt mayonnaise: Purée or finely chop 1⁄4 peeled
cucumber; mix with roughly 1⁄4 pint (150 ml) of mayonnaise and
a couple of tablespoons of natural yoghurt.
Tip
Instead of using straight mayonnaise, mix tinned tuna or
minced leftover chicken with natural yoghurt or soft
cream cheese blended with a tablespoon of horseradish,
wholegrain mustard or pesto for sandwiches and salads.