This article was written by Cooper Stapleton.

Hi there! My name is Cooper and one of the best ways to describe me would be a “food enthusiast.” Over the past few years I have been on a journey of discovering new flavors, techniques, and the beauty of making things with my own hands. I’m excited to share some of the techniques and recipes I’ve learned to use some of the wonderful ingredients we can find right here in our backyards! Or, if you aren’t into foraging, food grown by local hard-working farmers.

During the lockdown my partner and I have been slowly trying to be more self-sufficient when it comes to our food. Even though we live in a tiny apartment, she has maintained a healthy herb and veggie garden. We dream of one day having a small homestead where we can keep livestock and make our own animal goods. Right now our cheesemaking extends only into the virtual realms of Stardew Valley (a fun farm-management game), but even with no space and no animals of our own, we can still make some homemade goods that will taste amazing when compared with what you’ll find at the store.

This time, we’re going to start simple by making a condiment with ingredients you most likely have at home already: mayonnaise!

An important point to note: Though some restaurants would have you believe there was no difference, aioli and mayonnaise are two completely different things! Where mayo is an emulsion of eggs and oil, aioli is an emulsion of olive oil and garlic. It’s a little bit more labor intensive, and the flavor is much more intense as well. If you’re craving that favorite restaurant flavor, though—flavored mayonnaise could help you through these trying times.

You may be asking yourself, why start with mayonnaise? This recipe is about the balance of simplicity and precision. A fundamental skill that most have never tried, that can act as a building block into true self-reliance as a chef or an even better home cook. And, if the family likes mayo on their sandwiches they will really appreciate the even better flavor from homemade. My promise to you: If this recipe can give you the confidence to continue to explore new ideas in the kitchen, there’s nothing you can’t try at home with fresh ingredients.

Easy Homemade Mayonnaise Recipe

You will need:

Ingredients:

1 Egg, as fresh as possible. Sasquatch Mesa is highly recommended.

1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 Tablespoon acid (wine vinegar or lemon juice, your preference)

½ Teaspoon kosher salt

1 Cup neutral oil (canola, grapeseed, light olive)

Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Optional ½ teaspoon of red pepper flake or cayenne

Equipment:

Food processor, or

Immersion blender, or

The person with the strongest forearms in your household wielding a whisk with aplomb

Process:

1. Crack your egg into your receptacle and process/whisk for 20 seconds.

2. Add in your mustard, acid, and salt and process for 20 seconds to incorporate.

3. Slowly add in oil in drops while processing mixture. Adding it slowly allows the proper emulsification and thickening of the mixture

4. After about ¼ of a cup of oil has been added, you can start adding more a little more quickly. Watch for the thickening of the mixture; that is the best indication of when to start adding oil more quickly.

5. After all the oil has been added and the mixture is thick and creamy, scrape down the sides and process another 10 seconds.

6. Taste for seasoning. Add in pepper and pepper flakes.

And that’s it! Store it in a sealed container in the fridge for about a week. Use it to add moisture and flavor to all sorts of sandwiches and spreads, make your own salad dressings, or potato, egg, or tuna salads. I made this delicious tuna spread (insert picture of tuna spread).

About that aoli idea? You can also customize your mayonnaise with roasted garlic, sriracha, or curry to customize it for whatever meals you have planned. Happy experimenting!

How did your mayo turn out? Email me at: generalinfo@21acres.org