Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Camille Becerra. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Camille Becerra
One of the best sauces ever created, and perhaps the most useful, mayonnaise is a smooth emulsion of raw egg yolks and oil that’s good with many cold foods: eggs; cooked vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, and artichokes; fresh tomatoes and vegetable salads; poached fish and shellfish; and chicken. I like making it with mustard because it is a powerful binder and, with the yolk, holds the emulsion together. The oil should be at room temperature—if it’s cold, the mayonnaise will separate. Like most people, I rely on store-bought mayonnaise for everyday use, but when dishes put the sauce front and center—as in oeufs mayonnaise—I always make my own. The mayo recipe yields 2½ cups, which will leave you with a surplus for future meals.
Oeufs mayonnaise are a delicious first course that was a favorite at my mother’s restaurant in Lyon when I was a teenager. Since I usually have all the garnishes in my refrigerator, nothing could be easier to prepare, though it’s important to cook the eggs properly.
Featured in “Is This Two-Ingredient Recipe the ‘It’ Dish of 2024?” by Anna Hezel.
Yield: 2 Time: 25 minutes Ingredients For the mayonnaise: 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 Tbsp. tarragon vinegar, or white wine vinegar ¾ tsp. fine salt ½ tsp. freshly ground white pepper
