kleonard@gvlv1.gvl.unisys.com (Ken Leonard) (07/12/90)
I received a mailgram from "Steve," and thought the answer might be of some general interest. And since I can get duck eggs from a nearby farm, I'm gonna try them for mayo myself. -- Anyhow, Steve said... > > Okay, I've got a really stupid question. Just how do > you make homemade mayo. I've always been allergic to > chicken eggs, but a few years back I found I could eat > duck eggs w/o problems. I've been trying all these > things I never had as a child (fried eggs, quiche,...). > Now I'd like to try mayo, and as you seem to be the > expert.... ---------------- And I replied... Well, thanks, I think 8-). Duck ggs just might make _great_ mayo, since (if I remember correctly) their level of certain fats is a bit higher than standard hen-fruit eggs. -- Mayo has two ingredients: egg yolk and oil. We almost always season it, to match how we're going to use it, but some purists say that if it's seasoned, it isn't mayo. But what do they know? They only make it, they don't enjoy it! -- I'll give you some technique. I don't remember the proportions, and we sometimes vary them a bit anyhow, but any decent cookbook will give you a start. -- We think the most important point is _what_kind_ of "mixer" to use. We use a "food processor" thingie with the "chopper" blades running almost at the very bottom of the tub. These are the ultra-sharp onion-mulcher blades, sort of crescent-shaped and only two of them. You _do_not_ want blades which will "whip" air into the mayo. You _DO_ want blades which will give the finest possible breakup of yolk and oil droplets. You should probably _never_ attempt a batch which will end up much more that 1/4 inch (5/8 centimeter?) above the uppermost blade. -- The close second most important point is _lack_ of speed of operation. The third point is the order of addition of ingredients. -- Put _all_ of the yolks for the batch into the tub at the beginning. You are going to want to distribute the oil throughout the yolk, not vice-versa. -- Zap the yolks for 15 to 30 (??) seconds, to make them thoroughly _smooth_. -- Then, through the feed-tube at the top of the tub, _drizzle_ the oil into the running beastie at maybe a tablespoon every 30 seconds. -- Keep the rate of adding oil slow and _steady_. There is a point at which the mayo can be over-zapped (part of the reason for doing smaller batches.) There is also a point at which it can be definitely under-zapped and oily-tasting, even when there is not too much oil in it. -- This does take a bit of practice. Maybe half of your first six or twelve tries will be noticeably sub-great. But the final payoff is _well_worth_ the effort. We are now to the point where either spouse or self can run up a 2-cup double-run batch in about ten minutes _total_ time except for rinseing out the processor. -- Watch out for proportions especially with your duck eggs, because they are bigger (and have much bigger yolks) than hen-fruit. !! -- Use peanut oil for your first tries--it seems somehow to be easiest to work with. Then move up to rapeseed (alias canola? carola?) oil--it's a bit lighter and makes _superb_ mayo. When you feel _daring_, try olive oil--but be prepared for _unique_ mayo and be prepared to _not_ like it but be prepared to fall in love with it. -- Seasoning, if you choose to use it, _must_ be the _very_last_ thing you add. Turn the processor down to lowest speed (if it has multi speeds) and add the spices _quickly_ and shut down _as_soon_as_ they are well distributed. -- Use _only_ dry powdered (or finest flaked) spices. Never use extract (liquid) spices, they kill the texture (and sometimes the taste, too). Try: paprika, dry mustard, superfine horseradish! (it's wet, I know, but the wet is only a bit of vinegar, unless you do it fresh with only its own moisture), basil, marjoram (but not oregano, too strong), parsley, or whatever your imagination suggests. I _love_ basil-mayo on sliced fresh beefsteak tomatoes! -- Use a _light_dose_ of spices. The base flavor is so light (although maybe stronger with duck eggs?) that it takes maybe just 1/2 teaspoon of dry basil (forzample) to flavor 2 cups of mayo. ------------- whoof!, I think that's enough! ------------- Enjoy! Ken
grk@cbnewsl.att.com (george.r.kuntz) (07/16/90)
In article <805@gvlv2.GVL.Unisys.COM> kleonard@gvlv1.UUCP (Ken Leonard) writes: > >I received a mailgram from "Steve," and thought the answer might be >of some general interest. And since I can get duck eggs from a nearby farm, >I'm gonna try them for mayo myself. >-- >Anyhow, Steve said... >> >> Okay, I've got a really stupid question. Just how do >> you make homemade mayo. I've always been allergic to >> chicken eggs, but a few years back I found I could eat >> duck eggs w/o problems. I've been trying all these >> things I never had as a child (fried eggs, quiche,...). >> Now I'd like to try mayo, and as you seem to be the >> expert.... >---------------- [bunch deleted to save space---probably lots of good stuff though] >Ken When I was growing up, whenever we had company, I alway had to make the mayo. This meant half an hour of stirring egg yolks with olive oil dribbled in to emulsify the mixture. A couple of years ago my wife got me a Braun one-armed mixer. This device costs about twenty US dollars and includes a recipe book for things like shakes, etc. It also includes a thirty second mayo recipe that tastes pretty good. I don't remember the exact list of ingredients, but I do remember that you just put all of the stuff in the cup that comes with the gadget and turn it on. Voil'a! Mayo. Check out your favorite gadget store for this nice-to-have mixer. Ralph -- G. Ralph Kuntz, M.S., N2HBN, EMT-A, EIEIO grk@attunix.att.com
ken@uf.msc.umn.edu (Ken Chin-Purcell) (07/18/90)
Here is how we make mayo:
In a food processor, with the metal blade:
1 egg
2-3 T vinegar
1 T mustard
salt to taste (1/4 t ?)
Turn the processor on, and slowly, patiently drizzle in:
1 cup oil
Mixture should start thickening when about half the oil is added.
Explore using different oils, vinegars and spices (mustard).
-- Ken Chin-Purcell
-- also known as ken@msc.umn.edu and (612) 626-1340
-- Minnesota Supercomputer Center, University of Minnesota