Handmade Mayonnaise

As soon as Christmas was over, the chickens decided it was spring and started laying.  We don't usually get that many eggs so early in the year.  They were such beautiful shades of pink and brown I had to get a picture.






















My little lettuce plants are finally just big enough to start getting salads.  At this point, only about once a week.  I planted a lot, so I hope to be sick of salads by the end of spring.  Egg yolks and the lemons and calamondins Mirin has been scrumping in the neighborhood make delicious mayonnaise and salad dressings.  Real mayonnaise is delicious and really not that hard to make.  You can make it in a food processor, but it's really not that difficult to just whisk it up by hand.

Here's my recipe:


4 egg yolks
 (save whites for delicious meringues!  If I get around to it, I'll post a chocolate meringue recipe that is wonderful)

1-2 Tablespoons lemon, lime or calamondin juice, or very acidic vinegar
  Kaffir lime juice has made the best mayonnaise so far.

1/2 teaspoon salt  

I'll be honest - I don't measure.  A good pinch or dash should do.  You can adjust the seasonings at the end.

1 Tablespoon raw honey
or unrefined sugar like Sucanat, Rapadura or coconut sugar

A couple grinds of black pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1 cup good quality olive oil

Quality of olive oil really makes a big difference - Lately I've been using some cheap olive oil a friend gave me, probably really sunflower oil, and the flavor and quality has suffered.  Good olive oil is definitely on my shopping list for next time I go to the store!

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1.  Place egg yolks and all other ingredients EXCEPT the olive oil in a shallow bowl.  Have the olive oil in a separate cup or small bowl next to you, with a spoon.

2.  Whisk it all together really well with a whisk or even just a fork works.

3.  With the spoon, drip just one drop of oil into the egg mixture.  Whisk it up really well.  Start adding the oil drip by drip, whisking the whole time.  At the end you can add it by drizzling slowly.  When all the oil is added, whisk it really well for another minute or so.  Then taste and adjust the seasonings.  You can add more salt, or more lemon juice as needed at this point, just whisk it in really well afterwards.

4.  Chill well.  It will look runny at first, but will thicken up nicely in the fridge.