Mayonnaise is easy to make. I'll repeat that. Mayonnaise is easy to make. I don't know why some cookery writers make such a big deal about it, but if you follow The Greasy Spoon method, you'll soon be whizzing up a decent mayonnaise in no time at all.
First, break two egg yolks into a mixing bowl. Add a teaspoon or so of mustard (in this case, I prefer to use a milder type such as Dijon), some salt, and a splash of lemon juice or vinegar (French wine vinegar or cider vinegar is good). With a wooden spoon stir these together until they bind. Now's the time to start adding your oil.
I'm now going to let you into a secret. Grape seed oil is a miraculous ingredient. First, it's good for you. Secondly, it's light. Thirdly, it's a brilliant binding agent for making emulsions- you need far less of the stuff to make your mayonnaise go thick, and that's a good thing. I've noticed that The Fat Duck at Bray uses grapeseed oil to make mayonnaise- and they use it for a reason. You could, of course, use only olive oil, but when I've made it that way in the past, the mayonnaise becomes, in my opinion, a bit heavy and also bitter. If you can't get away from the olive oil trap, add a tablespoon or so towards the end of the mixing.
Now, this is the stage where if it's going to go wrong, it's going to go wrong. It's essential to pour in the oil in small batches, otherwise, your mayonnaise might curdle. The goal is to form a smooth emulsion.
Carry on pouring in the oil bit by bit, stirring at the same time. Once you've got your emulsion up and running, you can start adding the oil in a steady stream. Keep stirring. The more oil you add, the thicker it'll get. Towards the end of the process, I like to switch over to olive oil for the extra flavour. Anyway, you'll eventually end up with a thick, jelly-like mayonnaise, that you can plunge a spoon into upright, and it won't fall over. That's a sign that your labours are finished.
I'm now going to let you into a secret. Stir in a tablespoon of boiling water to your finished mayonnaise. The effects are nothing short of miraculous. You will end up with a light, fluffy, creamy mayonnaise, which is slightly lighter in colour too.
So there you are. You can also break all the rules, and mix up a decent mayonnaise in your food processor, using the above method, though, in practice, I find it best to use three egg yolks, as the food processor method tends to make a much thicker sauce. Oh, and if you leave your mayonnaise in the ' fridge, it'll get even thicker. Spread the word.
