Mayonnaise SOS
C'mon folks, I sure need some help here.
No matter which recipes I try, which oil I use, my mayo is always an oil slick. SO disappointing.
There is a little hope - in the form of the Pret* book that I bought recently. Their recipe has some vinegar in it - doh! That's improved things - seems so obvious. But - here's the but - the mayo is still a bit oily. But, it's a bit vinegary too - so I don't want to add more. What would you guys do - don't tell me to go and buy a jar of Hellmans! - add more vinegar? More Mustard? Give up ? Answers. please, on a blog near you - well, this one, preferably. India * Am I right in thinking that McD's owns Pret now?
Labels: cooking
posted by Twelfthknit at 10:41 am
11 Comments:
According to wikipedia (the source of all my knowledge :) ), McDs have owned a 33% non-controlling stake in Pret since 2001.
Sorry, can't help you about the mayo - mine usually comes in a jar!
They do have a part-share, I believe, damn them.
You aren't going to like my answer, but I gave up. I decided years ago that life was way to short to battle with mayonnaise, so yes, I'm afraid that I do buy Hellmans. I make most other stuff, so, sue me.....
Hmmm, normally just buy mayo (well caesar dressing usually) but you've got me thinking about mayo stuff now, could be a plan for the weekend... You've probably tried these tactics already, but to offer some moral support...the mayo will taste according to the type of vinegar (there are lighter flavoured ones to try such as cider etc), maybe a splash of different oil such as basil/olive? add loads of herbs? (used to do this back home with my mum and we'd get a pretty green flecked mayo in the blender - yummy), or make the mayo and dilute with yoghurt, sour cream, cr frais etc, blue cheese etc in the final whizzing, oh and try substituting some lemon juice in with vinegar - all depends on your taste buds, but good luck
The trick is to make sure all your ingredients are at the same temperature. So do not use an egg yolk straight out of the fridge with oil which is at room temperature. And what's this I hear about vinegar?? Only a bit of mustard, an egg yolk, salt and pepper, and oil. Trust me, I am French and have never messed up a mayonnaise (yet!)
Alton Brown has a whole episode about making mayo on his show, Good Eats. It's available on DVD, maybe you can track down a rental somewhere, like Netflix? Maybe? www.foodtv.com might have info from the show, too.
OK, several things here.
Firstly, if you've already got mustard in the mix, then you've got your "insurance" already on board. I wouldn't vary the mustard levels, but I would add it at the beginning of the emulsification process (when it's in your food processor).
Next up, ditch the vinegar, unless that's to your taste. It serves no purpose, and it possibly serves to hinder the process, because it's taking up one end of the emulsifier you've got in Mustard.
Do you notice a particular point at which your mayo breaks? Or does it break at all? If it's not breaking (turning into an oil soup with white bits floating in it), then you may be stopping short of the end-point. If it IS breaking, then you're going too far.
The "trick" is to add your oil very slowly, and to quit while you're ahead - before you've broken your oil globules too far down, and your egg proteins are unable to hold them in suspension.
If you STILL end up with oily mayo, I'd suggest the addition of garlic (either raw crushed, or roasted), and simply call it an aioli.
Also, what kind of oil are you using for this? It could be that your oil is too strong - if you're using an Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for example. In that case, aioli really is your best bet, because you can disguise or complement some of that strong oil flavor by adding strong herbs or garlic.
Let us all know, because I'm curious? Am dieting right now ... so mayo is definitely out of the question. Sigh.
Good luck!
If in doubt I always follow either Delia Smith or Julia Child. I am sure Delia is easily available on line in the UK - so here is Julia's. Using a food processor ( or electric beater) - break 1 whole egg plus 2 yolks into bowl. Process 30 to 45 seconds. With machime running add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and/or white wine vinegar or mix of, plus 1 teaspoon dijon style mustard, plus a pinch salt and several grinds of white pepper. With machine still running - slowly add or dribble as she says up to 2 cups of olive oil - or can use veg oil or mix if preferred. After half cup gone in, can add rest faster until you have thick mayo. Taste and process more lemon, seasonings or more vinegar if needed. All ingredients should be room temp before starting. Keep in fridge when done.
She also has a paragraph on trouble shooting - saying if seperation occurs - let it sit for 10 or so minutes then spoon off oil from clotted residue. Take a tablespoon of the residue and beat vigously by portable mixer or by hand with half tablespoon of mustard until creamed and thickened nicely again. Then keep whisking in half tblsps of residue letting the suace cream and thicken after each addition. Finally take the spooned off oil, and re add dribbling fashion either as above or back in the processor.
No idea if this works or not as i have never made mayo - but I have followed her advice faithfully on a number of occasions for other sauces, failure section and all and have always been sucessful.
Good luck ....
lemon juice -- works for me
Never made mayo yet - will wait with baited breath to hear the outcome....
Shawl is beautiful - so annoyed won't make it to group tomorrow to see it!
Somewhere in a parallel universe, you have gone 12 months without buying any yarn. Congratulations to your alter-ego! x K
I used to have mayonnaise that split all the time - then I got hens and found that with very fresh eggs it just doesn't split at all.
This is probably not useful at all as you don't have hens, but if you ask at the farmers market you might be able to get them.
Or if you are near Drymen give me a call and I'll put some aside for you, 01360 660 903 snapdragonjane@yahoo.co.uk
Jane
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