Sunday, October 25, 2009

Homemayo and a secret ingredient

Everyone has a "life list" - a lifelong to-do agenda. Then there is the short term list of impulse-type items - let's call this the "near list". You probably have a very different list than I do. Mine includes making mayonnaise from scratch - call it, "Homemayo."

After a day of building a clubhouse for the Junior Chefs (weekend three of the project), I didn't have the energy for a major cooking session. A ready-made meal seemed just right...and something easy to dress up with a few homemade additions.

The Method (Mayonnaise)

  1. Bring two egg yolks to room temperature.
  2. Add these to a food processor (you can do this by hand, too)
  3. Add 1/2 tsp ground mustard and 1/2 tsp salt
  4. Blend on med-high for 1 minute
  5. Add 2 TBs lemon juice, blend 10 seconds
  6. Very slowly add 1 C oil (I used Smart Balance oil blend - olive, soy, and canola).
  7. Very slowly.
  8. After you add about 1/2 of the oil, it will begin to thicken.
  9. Continue blending and add the remainder of the oil. You can add more if you like - up to 1 1/2 C total - but there is a point at which the mayo will "break."
The Method (Ginger Greens)
  1. Bring 2 C of chicken broth to a boil.
  2. Add the secret "ingreenient" - a 1-inch square piece of fresh ginger.
  3. Simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Add 1# greens, roughly chopped (I used turnip greens).
  5. Simmer until the greens wilt (2-3 minutes).
  6. Add 1 C carrots, penny-sliced.
  7. Add 3 white radishes, penny-sliced.
  8. Sprinkle with garlic powder.
  9. Simmer another 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
  10. Drain the greens, return to the pot, add 1-2 TBs of butter and saute for 3-4 minutes.
The Result

We had a low-key dinner of chicken strips, french fries and baked beans. We mixed some of the mayo with fresh basil and some with horseradish. Both were tasty as dips. Homemade mayo has a very different consistency and flavor than store-bought.  I've made it before, and was again reminded that this is a super-simple recipe; there's little or no reason to buy mayo at the supermarket - especially if you have locally-raised organic eggs.


Everyone agreed the greens were delicious. The ginger was understated but effective - so subtle in fact that it stumped the very experienced panel of diners we assembled for tonight's meal (and for nearly all meals at our house). The ginger and radishes were off-set by the sweetness of the carrots. Two members of the panel asked for seconds...alas, the greens were no more.

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Kudya Bwino Bwino (Eating Well) © 2009