Mayonnaise

The reason is simple enough, it looks like hard work and there is a risk of failure. That's enough to have most cooks (and many chefs) reaching for the supermarket versions.

There is no real substitute for hand whisked mayo, it has a special quality and consistency that can only be obtained in that way. However there most certainly is a substitute for the bland offerings that come out of jars. And it takes seconds to make.

Follow me, and never buy mayonnaise again. You need:

4 whole eggs
.75 litre (1.5) pints grape-seed oil*
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 tsp hot mustard powder
salt and white pepper

Method

Crack the eggs into a liquidizer or food processor with the mustard, lemon juice and vinegar and blitz them until they are foaming. This will take less than a minute.

With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Most processors have a cap with a little hole in it, which makes this very easy to do.

The mixture will thicken and swell. When all the oil has been added, taste and adjust the seasoning with the salt and pepper. If your mixture is thicker than you want it to be, drizzle in a little warm water with the motor running.

Keep any leftover mayonnaise in a screw top jar that you store upside down in the fridge. Storing it the wrong way up creates a vacuum, helping to preserve the contents. Use within 7-10 days.

*You do not have to use grape-seed oil. Any good quality oil other than olive oil - which makes the mayo taste bitter - will work just as well.

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First published on Qassia