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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

The Case For Real Mayonnaise

Lets do a little ingredient comparo here:
Real Mayonnaise: olive oil, egg yolks, white wine vinegar, salt, dry mustard powder, water

Miracle Whip Light: water, vinegar, soybean oil, modified food starch, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, salt, contains less than 2% of egg yolks, cellulose gel, mustard flour, artificial color, potassium sorbate as a preservative, xantham gum, cellulose gum, spice, paprika, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium (sweeteners), natural flavor, dried garlic

So we have one option consisting of a small selection of perfectly recognizable cavegirl ingredients. In the other corner, we have a frankenfood emulsification of industrial oil and modified food starch (whatever that is, I'm pretty sure it's not food). Oh and lets not forget the HFCS, the sugar, and not one, but two types of artificial sweeteners. Then there's the pile of preservatives and "natural" (???) flavor... oh my...
I will give you one guess which one is the better choice... [insert Jeopardy Music Here}

Julia Child's Mayonnaise Recipe

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. 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.

1 comment:

  1. When you have an abundance of fresh herbs- try adding a handful of your favorites- I love green mayo! Susan

    ReplyDelete