Mayonnaise

I'm one of those people that just loves home made food. I'm not talking about non-fast food meals, but making things at home that are 100% easier to just buy. Why bother? It's mostly about the taste, but there's also that idea that I know exactly what's in it, it's wholesome, and I did it myself. Yes, that means I like it because of pride. Deal with it. I've tried mayonnaise before, but I've found a fairly fool-proof version that I enjoy varying with my mood.

For example, lime instead of lemon yields a tangy mayo that is great as a base for dips and dressings. Adding garlic or red pepper flakes (even in conjunction with the lime!) make for a kick that begs to be paired with roasted chicken on a toasted sandwich. Wants herbs? Yeah, so do I, just add them at the end. Adding good olive oil in small quantities (I rarely use more than 1/4 total volume) give an earthy, savoury depth. Much more than that, and it can grow bitter. Or maybe I'm using crappy olive oil. Who knows? Right now I'm loving peanut oil for its clean, rich flavour, but vegetable or canola oils work too. I tell you, the recipe is just an outline!

My favourite, and likely most dangerous, thing about this mayonnaise is that I make it with farm fresh eggs. So sue me. Disclaimer: use wisdom with raw eggs if you're pregnant, young, or paranoid. Yes, paranoia really does lead to a compromised immune system.*

I generally make a double batch and it lasts us about a week and a half, and stays nice and stable the whole time. We never get sick from it, and we love it, love it, love it. There's a good bit of science behind how and why mayonnaise works, and with a food processor, the whole egg thing is especially important. You could do yolk only, but you might want to work by hand. Personally, using a food processor is totally worth the whole egg. A blender would also work, although my processor has a handy little drip hole that makes this a practically foolproof endeavour.

Mayonnaise

adapted from almost everywhere

1 whole egg

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/2 tsp salt (more to taste, if desired)

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup oil

Place egg, mustard, salt, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse a few times to combine. Turn the machine on, and add oil, just a drop at a time, until the mixture emulsifies (gets mayonnaise-y) and you've used a few Tablespoons of oil. [I just use my machine's dripper, and it's perfect.] Once it seems stable, add the remaining oil in a slow, but steady stream until all combined. Transfer to a screw top jar and refrigerate.

Other homemade things I love that are easier to buy in the store:

• Créme Fraîche
• Chicken Stock
• Spaghetti Sauce
• Nutella

*That might be the biggest lie/truth on the whole page.