Basic mayonnaise can be made either by hand or in a food processor. Either way, both the egg yolks recommend adding a teaspoon of mustard to help emulsify the egg yolk in the oil. Others use a blend of peanut and olive oils for a more delicate flavor and color; start with the olive oil and end with a good quality vegetable oil. I just grab what's to hand. I only make my own homemade mayo to accompany poached fish and shellfish. For the tranformations, I use a good quality commercial mayonnaise, apart from the time saved, the result is lighter.
Could anything be more magical than the beating of oil into egg yolk to produce that most sublime and useful of sauces, mayonnaise? Wel, yes ... even more magical is the way basic mayonnaise can be transformed by making simple charges or additions. Obvious examples are the basic pink cocktail sauce served with shrimp and avocado achieved by the addition of tomato ketchup, brandy, Worcestershire sauce, and a pinch of paprika.
Adapt this for shrimp cocktail using shredded iceberg lettuce. Or try hanging juicy cooked chilled Mediterranean shrimp like synchronized swimmers around a bowl filled with crushed ice and some of this sauce set in the middle. Traditionally lightly whipped cream was added to this sauce for an even more delicate color and texture. Try adding a little cream and a drop of rose water.
This sauce is traditionally served with sliced cold veal in a dish known as vitello tonnato. It is also delicious with any cold white meat, fish or cooked eggs.
This garlic mayonnaise, also known as aioli, is to vampires what meat is to vegetarians.
