47770559 – making mayonnaise

Makes about 1 cup

2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
Pinch of cayenne
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup vegetable oil, preferably grapeseed
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the yolks, cayenne, salt, lemon juice, and mustard in a food processor. Pulse ingredients until well combined. With the motor running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream (see Note). If the mixture gets oily, add a little water. Season with pepper to taste. This will keep for 1 week in the fridge.

Note: You may not have noticed it, but your food processor probably has a very small hole in the bottom of the “pusher” that sits inside the feed tube. You can pour the oil into the “pusher” and it will let the oil drip out at the pace needed. I’ve never had it split when using this feature.

Cook’s Tips: Making Mayo

As soon as the mayo is done, turn off the machine. Too much agitation can make it break down.

Be careful not to add the oil too quickly; you don’t want the mayonnaise to split. If it somehow splits anyway, here’s how to bring it back: Remove the split mayo from the blender or food processor, add 1 tablespoon of hot water to the bottom of the jar or work bowl, and slowly re-add the split mayo while the machine is running on low speed.

Although very few eggs are actually contaminated with salmonella, I’d err on the side of caution and refrain from serving this mayonnaise to children under the age of five, the elderly, or the immune-impaired.