i broke my mayonnaise. but i am here to tell you that it is fixable. i started mine in the vita-mix and well, it’s just not the way to go. unless perhaps you’re making a very large quantity and then the whirly thingamajig will actually be able to blend what’s in there. but one egg yolk, some lemon juice, mustard and salt just was not enough volume, even when i began to add the oil oh so very slowly… it just wasn’t happening for me. it was actually teetering on ‘failure’ - and i had just dribbled away 6 ounces of my very favorite and very expensive spanish olive oil, so the thought of pouring it all down the drain was incredibly unappealing…
and then i googled "broken mayonnaise". and lo and behold, the internet once again saved the day and all you do is whisk an egg yolk into a bowl and add the broken mayonnaise, bit by bit. and then there it was. my aioli, as smooth and silky one could ever hope for, i added some fresh lemon zest and pressed (yes pressed) garlic - and it was about as good as mayonnaise could ever be. the buttery olive oil turned velvety rich by the yolks, dijon mustard and lemon juice and zest with just the right amount of garlic… i was really pleased.
but when i cracked the king crab legs and tossed it all with arugula and a fistful of cilantro… well, then i was supremely happy.
so, i made my aioli, i broke my aioli, i fixed my aioli. and now i know. just use very fresh eggs, have everything at room temperature, some mustard to provide stability, and an acid - required for the emulsification process. next time i’ll add the slightest pinch of cayenne or white pepper - just for some balance to brighten it up. and i will only whisk. by hand. no electricity needed.
1 egg yolk (i used 2 due to the ‘broken’ aspect)
a big pinch of salt
1/2 t dijon mustard
1 T lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
pressed garlic
lemon zest
these are the kind of dinners i love the most. one interesting element that was a learning experience, and the rest of it just 3 high quality fresh and simple ingredients,,,
that didn’t have to even try.
33 responses so far ↓
1 Jennifer Hess // Apr 29, 2008 at 9:58 pm
That looks and sounds just about perfect, false start be damned. One of my favorite things about the time of year we’re entering - simplicity. I know you feel the same.
2 Robert // Apr 29, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Fret,
Think of it as more evolution than repair…….
3 _ts of [eatingclub] vancouver // Apr 30, 2008 at 12:34 am
I think making mayonnaise with extra virgin olive oil and using a food processor/blender may result in a bitter mayonnaise. I’ve done that in a restaurant setting and at home, so I’m thinking that it’s not me.
However, whisking it by hand may prevent that bitterness. Maybe it’s the love. So perhaps it’s good that the Vita-Mix didn’t succeed in it’s whirling?
_ts
4 _ts of [eatingclub] vancouver // Apr 30, 2008 at 12:37 am
Oh dammit! There shouldn’t be an apostrophe there!
“…succeed in its whirling?”
Not “it’s”.
[shudder]
_ts
5 Laura @ Hungry and Frozen // Apr 30, 2008 at 1:21 am
I’ve tried the exact same fix-it method myself and can attest to its success. I like to use a whisk anyhow because I tell myself the excercise counteracts all the oil. Btw I googled Thomas Keller - all those michelin stars! too classy for TV
6 Traci @ Soup of The Day // Apr 30, 2008 at 1:26 am
Stuff like this is my favorite kind of food. Well, this and chicken & dumplings.
And now I know- hand whisk your mayo.
7 Peter // Apr 30, 2008 at 6:03 am
Good save on the mayo but bad manners to you for not inviting me for crab. I’ll now go mope in a corner. ;(
8 Peter // Apr 30, 2008 at 6:29 am
I’m glad you fixed it yourself. Aioli repairmen are hard to find, and expensive.
And yes, whisking is the way to go. Just like hand-cranking pasta, right?
9 Donald // Apr 30, 2008 at 6:38 am
Great save!
You, you and the dang shellfish again! Yer killing me over here!!
10 Mal Carne // Apr 30, 2008 at 6:54 am
I love the combination of crab and arugula. Those flavors translate into a damn fine pasta sauce, as well.
11 ponyboat // Apr 30, 2008 at 7:03 am
As Jackson would say, this looks ama-zazing! One thing about living in this horrible place - I can’t get arugula. I have to drive 30 freakin miles to get arugula. And I can’t grow it because it’s too damn hot here too early and it bolts and gets bitter.
12 TaratheFoodie // Apr 30, 2008 at 7:43 am
Oh that looks so good. I haven’t had crab legs in forever and now I want them (and it’s 8:41am). I also love mayo, but never made it myself. I’m sure I will one day and when I do, now I’ll know how to fix it if it’s broken! Thanks!
13 The Urban Eater // Apr 30, 2008 at 8:20 am
Oh God! Not the VitaMix!
Mal and I do food styling for HSN and Jon Ashton was pushing those during the same air times we we’re pushing the Chop & Suck. They SUCK for anything useful.
I use a food processor for aoili and its always worked out; however, I was making aoili in batches for a restuarnt, soooooo maybe hand mixing is best for at home consumption quantities.
Salad sounds awesome……hmmmmm……cccrrrraaabbbbbbb…
14 Chris // Apr 30, 2008 at 8:44 am
Mayo is one of those things that I never thought I would bother with making until, after watching Good Eats one night, I made it on a whim to improve my basic skills.
Let’s just say that I am still improving my technique.
Next time I try it I will use this version. The recipe I tried was about 3 times the amount and a single guy can only eat so much mayo in a week.
Looks yummy by the way.
See you all at Iron Fork
15 CeeElCee // Apr 30, 2008 at 11:18 am
Two things that always baffled me whenever I bought a new blender (because I broke the old one again by sticking a wooden spoon in it while making daiquiris):
1. The box bragged about “23 speeds.” Who really needs 23 speeds? And 23? that would imply that one of the speeds is “off.” When was the last time you saw a recipe that included the instruction, “Add all ingredients to blender. Turn to OFF.”
2. The recipe booklet always included a paragraph about how to save spoiled mayonnaise by blending in another egg yolk. My solution to spoiled mayo is to throw the sumbitch away and buy another jar. However, your delicate aioli is a different thing altogether.
16 Razor Family Farms // Apr 30, 2008 at 11:52 am
How totally cool to have your own Vita-Mix. I am so envious!!!
Blessings to you, lovely lady!
Lacy
17 cookiecrumb // Apr 30, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I’d call that a very good way to eat your eggs. (You broke the aioli on purpose, right?)
18 ElZorro // Apr 30, 2008 at 3:14 pm
C:
Don’t forget to mention how kitchen shears work great when you need to release the crab from its spiny armor.
19 Ellie // Apr 30, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Awww, sorry about the broken aioli (somehow that sounds dirty doesn’t it?) but it sounds like you fixed it up just fine. The local lobster shack just got the first of the blue crabs for the season. Though maybe a little too difficult to shell for a recipe like this it sure has me craving them!
20 Kevin // Apr 30, 2008 at 6:49 pm
That crab salad looks so good! The internet can be really handy to have at times like those.
21 Stephanie // Apr 30, 2008 at 7:21 pm
You and Kevin over at Closet Cooking have me really craving crab! This looks so refreshing and perfect for summer!
22 RecipeGirl // Apr 30, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Amazing that googling broken mayo could get you an answer. I don’t even think that would have occurred to me!
Looks amazing. I’m a big time arugula/lemon lover, so add some crab and that’s a darn good meal.
23 evil chef mom // Apr 30, 2008 at 11:04 pm
Every time I think or hear the words king crab, I hear Mike Rowe narrating Deadliest Catch. Looks Good.
24 melissa // May 1, 2008 at 2:33 am
just awesome. perfect meal for me.
as far as the broken part, yeah, you fixed it beautifully. I always wanted to make my own. you make me not so afraid to do it. what else is new?
25 aforkfulofspaghetti // May 1, 2008 at 5:13 am
Ooooh, very nice - very light, very healthy, and very TASTY! Well done for perservering with the dressing.
26 naomi // May 1, 2008 at 7:04 am
That looks spectacular.
About the aioli - don’t know if someone mentioned this already - if you start with the garlic and egg yolk together it also helps emulsify the whole thing. You can even make it without any egg at all, but it will take your head off - I’m much more of a fan of creamy aioli myself.
x x x
27 mari // May 1, 2008 at 7:29 am
I never doubted your skillz, well done on a fine save!
28 Pee Dubya // May 1, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Uncork a nice chilled viognier with that I say!
29 Meg // May 1, 2008 at 7:07 pm
well, in the Pacific NW, it’s probably going to be Dungeness instead of king crab, but holy CRAP (and I mean that in a flattering way) that looks fantastic. We’ll be having this, and soon.
30 Heather // May 1, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Another good cheat is to put the whole thing over a pot of simmering water and turn it into zabione. Since I don’t eat enough eggs, they’re never farm-fresh enough to emulsify without a nudge.
31 Justin // May 2, 2008 at 6:23 am
I had this same problem making aioli at home in the processor after doing so in the restaurant, of course there are all manner of things that work in that kitchen that I can’t seem to translate to my little apartment. And I, like you (I believe) was using my wonderful L’estornell, the difference being that I found no salvation. Instead I got uber-pissed, put all my other shit in the fridge, and went to Marche. Thank you Margot, for so many things.
32 Justin // May 2, 2008 at 6:24 am
Also….when are the Beard awards being announced? Have I completely missed that already?
33 Kim // May 2, 2008 at 6:41 am
Good save! Doesn’t it feel great when you have more than one come back while cooking? Making mayonnaise this week, glad you can talk me through it. My daughter lives in Alaska so when I visit I pig out on King Crab. Arugula anything is one of my top ten favorites.
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