Equipment
Ingredients
Emulsion Base
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 2 g kosher salt
Acid and Oil
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 200 ml neutral oil, room temperature
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Dampen the kitchen towel and twist it into a ring on your work surface. Nestle the heavy mixing bowl into the towel ring to secure it, leaving both of your hands completely free for whisking and pouring.
Combine the room temperature egg yolk, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and half of the fresh lemon juice in the mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is pale yellow, completely smooth, and slightly thickened.
Begin adding the neutral oil literally drop by drop while whisking constantly. Do not rush this step. Once a thick emulsion begins to form and the base becomes opaque, begin pouring the remaining oil in a very slow, steady, hair-thin stream, whisking continuously.
Once all the oil is incorporated, whisk in the remaining lemon juice to brighten the flavor and slightly loosen the texture. Taste carefully and adjust the salt if necessary.
Chef's Notes
- Temperature is the invisible ingredient in mayonnaise. Ensuring the egg yolk, mustard, and oil are all at room temperature dramatically reduces the risk of the emulsion breaking.
- Using a pure olive oil will often result in a bitter mayonnaise due to the high-shear action of whisking or blending breaking apart bitter-tasting polyphenols. Always use a neutral oil, or at most, a blend of 10 percent olive oil folded in gently at the end.
- The mustard acts as a secondary emulsifier. The mucilage in mustard seed coats the tiny oil droplets, helping keep them suspended in the water phase of the egg yolk.
- To safely serve this to vulnerable populations, use a commercially pasteurized in-shell egg or liquid pasteurized egg yolks without altering the recipe.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight jar in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
