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Now that you’ve made your homemade Egg Beaters, what do you do with all those leftover egg yolks? Homemade mayonnaise is one solution. Homemade mayonnaise is fast and easy to make in a blender or food processor, and I’ve included a recipe for this method.

But using an old-fashioned whisk, making homemade mayonnaise the Julia Child way is a great stress release too! Here is a basic recipe from the goddess of cooking, Julia Child, and flavored variations are also included.

For other ideas on using up egg yolks, such as beauty and craft products, click here.

Julia Child’s Hand-Beaten Mayonnaise

What Julia called hand-beaten mayonnaise, we’d call homemade mayonnaise today—as opposed to that which is commercially prepared using industrial mixers.

The following directions are for a hand-beaten sauce using a wire whisk. For electric beaters, use the large bowl and the “moderately fast” speed for whipping cream. Continually push the sauce into the beater blades with a rubber scraper.

Ingredients

* Round-bottomed, 2½ to 3-quart glazed pottery, glass or stainless steel mixing bowl. Set it in a heavy casserole or saucepan to keep it from slipping.

* 3 egg yolks

* Large wire whisk

* 1 tablespoon wine vinegar or lemon juice (more drops as needed)

* ½ teaspoon salt

* ¼ teaspoon dry or prepared mustard

* 1½ to 2¼ cups of olive oil, salad oil or a mixture of each. If the oil is cold, heat it to tepid; and if you are a novice, use the minimum amount

* 2 tablespoons boiling water

Directions

1. Warm the bowl in hot water; dry it. Add the egg yolks and beat for 1 to 2 minutes until they are thick and sticky.

2. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, salt and mustard. Beat for 30 seconds more.

3. The egg yolks are now ready to receive the oil. While it goes in, drop by drop, you must not stop beating until the sauce has thickened. A speed of 2 strokes per second is fast enough. You can switch hands or switch directions, as long as you beat constantly.

4. Add the drops of oil with a teaspoon, or rest the lip of the bottle on the edge of the bowl. Keep your eye on the oil rather than on the sauce. Stop pouring and continue beating every 10 seconds or so, to be sure the egg yolks are absorbing the oil.

5. After 1/3 to 1/2 cup of oil has been incorporated, the sauce will thicken into a very heavy cream and the crisis of potential curdling is over. The beating arm may rest a moment. Then, beat in the remaining oil by 1 to 2 tablespoon dollops, blending it thoroughly after each addition.

6. When the sauce becomes too thick and stiff, beat in drops of vinegar or lemon juice to thin it out. Then continue with the oil.

7. Beat the boiling water into the sauce. This is an anti-curdling insurance. Season to taste.

8. If the sauce is not used immediately, scrape it into a small bowl and cover it tightly so a skin will not form on its surface.

Julia Child’s tips for homemade mayonnaise:

* Room Temperature: Have all ingredients at room temperature. If they aren’t, warm the mixing bowl in hot water to take the chill off the egg yolks; heat the oil to tepid if it is cold. * Egg Yolks: Always beat the yolks for a minute or two before adding anything to them. When they are thick and sticky, they are ready to absorb the oil. * Adding The Oil: The oil must be added very slowly at first, in droplets, until the emulsion process begins and the sauce thickens into a heavy cream. Then, the oil may be incorporated more rapidly.

* Proportions: The maximum amount of oil one large egg yolk can absorb is six ounces, or ¾ cup. When this maximum is exceeded, the binding properties of the egg yolks break down, and the sauce thins out or curdles. If you have never made mayonnaise before, it is safest not to exceed ½ cup of oil per egg yolk. Here is a table giving proportions for varying amounts of sauce:

Mayonnaise in a blender

Ingredients

  • 2 whole eggs
  • 10 fl oz (285 ml) of vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 tsp of white wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp of dry English mustard powder
  • 1 crushed clove of garlic
  • salt and pepper

Method

  1. Place the eggs into the blender or food processor, along with the mustard, garlic, salt and pepper and blend together.
  2. Pour all of the oil into the blender in a steady stream whilst the machine is operating, so that it is immediately whisked into the egg yolk mixture.
  3. Switch off the machine and taste the mayonnaise. Add the vinegar and any extra seasoning to taste and whisk together one last time.

Mayonnaise Variations
(Except for Remoulade, each starts with one cup.)

Aioli: Add 4 cloves garlic mashed with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil, enough to make a soft consistency. Good with fish soups, fish, poached or boiled eggs, vegetables.

Creamy: Stir in as much as an equal amount of sour cream or unflavored yogurt. For salad dressing, use cream or buttermilk.

Green Goddess: Add 1 small clove garlic, chopped, 2 to 3 chopped anchovy fillets, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, 6 tablespoons sour cream and lemon juice to taste. Serve on salad or with fish and shellfish.

Herb: Puree 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs with an equal part lemon juice. Press out liquid, stir into mayonnaise. Nice with fish, poached or boiled eggs, vegetables.

Horseradish: Add horseradish to taste. Serve with ham, beef, corned beef.

Remoulade: Add to 1-1/2 cups mayonnaise 1 finely chopped hard-cooked egg, 1 tablespoon chopped capers, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Classic accompaniment to cold poached or boiled eggs, fried fish, cold vegetables, cold meats.

Scandinavian Mustard: Add 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, 4 teaspoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh dill. Sweet and luscious with smoked or fresh salmon, ham, cold meats.

Tartar Sauce: Add 1 tablespoon minced pickles, 1/2 tablespoon minced onion, 2 teaspoons parsley, 1 teaspoon lemon juice. A little dried tarragon is optional. Serve with fish and shellfish.

Thousand Island or Russian: Stir in 1/4 cup chili sauce, 2 tablespoons chopped gherkins, 1 chopped shallot or green onion, 1 teaspoon grated horseradish. Serve with boiled eggs, fish, shellfish, cold meats, cold vegetables, green salad or a Reuben sandwich.

Recipe Source: The Kitchen Companion by Polly Clingerman (American Cooking Guild)

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