healthy and delicious

Why spend a fortune on the unhealthy, and not very tasty, mayo from the store when you can make your own using healthy oils and ingredients.  Mayo has been changing at the grocery store. I think to try and entice people like me back into buying it again.  However, despite all the fancy labels claiming “Olive Oil” or “Organic” mayo all the brands i see are still mostly unhealthy and definitely not tasty soybean oil and other nasty ingredients like corn syrup.

For a few years now I’ve used a modified version of the Nourishing Traditions recipe combined with a Coconut Oil Mayonnaise recipe and the Blender Mayonnaise method out of Joy of Cooking to get the perfect blend.  A friend has recommended I try using Macadamia nut oil in place of the olive oil as it is supposed to be much healthier and produces a nice tasting, more neutral mayonnaise.  Whichever you choose remember that strong tasting oils are going to make a very strong tasting mayonnaise that may be quite unpleasant.  For that reason I will usually use half Expeller-Pressed Coconut oil with half “liquid” oils which I include a good quality Extra Virgin Olive oil (Bionaturae is my favorite) and sometime Organic Sesame Oil.  When I get some Macadamia nut oil i will try using that instead and see what we get.

I use farm fresh pastured eggs because they are healthier and fresh.  I reduce the risk of salmonella by carefully breaking open the egg so as to not touch the shell but really this is an exaggerated problem caused by the unhealthy condition of battery raised chickens.  A healthy chicken from a local farmer is not likely to have problematic eggs.

Here is the recipe I follow.

Approximately makes: 1 1/4 cups
Preparation Time: 5 minutes

• 1 whole pastured egg
• 2 pastured egg yolks
• 1 tsp whey (real whey recipe )
• 1 tablespoon organic mustard
• 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
• 1 tsp sucanat or organic maple syrup sugar (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon Real Celtic Sea Salt (fine ground)
• 1/2 cup Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil (melted if solid)
• 1/2 cup Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Bionaturae is my favorite)

Recommended Tools: Good quality blender (preferably glass), with lid.  A silicon rubber spatula.  A pyrex glass measuring cup with easy pour spout. Measuring spoons.  Funnel with narrow spout.  Kitchen towel to limit splatter.  Glass container with lid to store finished mayonnaise.

The coconut oil may be solid so it needs to be melted and then mixed with the olive oil.  Put both in a large measuring cup (Pyrex 2 cup glass with easy pour spout is my choice).  Once combined allow to reach room temperature before making mayo.  Get out all other ingredients to sit at room temperature especially the eggs which must  not be cold when starting.

Using a good quality blender add the egg, egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and blend gently to mix.  Then add all the remaining ingredients except the oil and mix again briefly.  Put the lid on the blender without the inner piece and place the funnel in the center of the lid.  Use the towel between pouring of oil to minimize splatter by covering up lid and funnel.

Slowly pour a steady and fine stream of oil while blender is on.  Take a break every so often to allow the oil to work in if needed and turn off the blender periodically and use the rubber spatula to wipe down the sides of the blender to keep the mayonnaise at the bottom.  Put the lid back on with the funnel and continue blending with the oil stream.  It is a good idea to always keep a hand on the lid of the blender while it is opperating to prevent messy accidents if the lid blows off.

Do not keep pouring oil if it begins to pool on the top of the mayonnaise but blend for a bit until it disappears.  Continue adding the oil in a slow stream until it is all gone then continue blending until there is no oil on the surface of the mayonnaise.  Mayonnaise will start out very runny and slowly build up to a thicker consistency but this recipe requires refrigeration to see full thickness.  Because of the coconut oil the refrigerated mayonnaise will be much thicker at than room temperature

Turn off blender, and remove mayonnaise into glass container using the rubber spatula to scoop it out and work around the blades.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and put into the fridge.  With the addition of the natural whey it will keep several days.

Alternatives:

• Try using a high quality cold pressed Macadamia nut oil in place of the Olive Oil.
• Add some chopped basil for a tasty basil mayonnaise that is perfect for club sandwiches or potato salad.
• Add some naturally fermented tamari for an Asian twist.
• To make it superbly Texan try adding chopped cilantro and lime for a cooling effect and serve on your next Texas style jalepeno and Monteray Jack Cheese Burger.  (Recipe coming soon)

The possibilities are endless and this is a great mayonnaise to make creamy salad dressings by mixing with home cultured piima cream or sour cream.  Even my most fickle junk food junky relatives love this mayonnaise.