We used to make mayonnaise the old-fashioned way.
Then last week, my darling friend Lisa sent me Annabel Langbein’s Simple Pleasures cookbook…
Not only is Annabel a completely gorgeous person whom I’ve chatted to occasionally on Twitter, but she’s also a brilliant cook. I’ve made several of her recipes in the past, and they’ve always worked.
Her Speedy Mayo requires a stick blender and the jug it came with. It also needs:
- 1¼ cups of neutral oil
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 2 super-fresh free range eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt (I used Maldon flakes)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- a pinch of ground white pepper
All the ingredients go into the jug…
…and are blitzed together with the stick blender in a matter of seconds. I was a little concerned that the mix might overflow the jug, but the 500ml capacity was just right…
I added chopped capers and dill to half of the mayonnaise…
We’re dealing with a raw egg product here, so please do use the freshest free-range eggs that you can get your hands on!
Annabel advises that the Speedy Mayo will keep for up to two weeks in a jar in the fridge (the dill and caper version keeps for one week). However, since reading Meg’s comments here, I now won’t be keeping mayonnaise for longer than 24 hours.
It was so easy! The jug went into the dishwasher, the filled jars into the fridge, and tonight we’ll make coleslaw!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
I make mine in my blender, also works a treat :) Try adding garlic and grated blue cheese, dribble on a crunchy salad with croutons…..my favourite!
Sue, I’ve tried in the food processor with mixed results, but not the blender! Good to know it works, thanks! :)
I found out about making mayo like this about 2 years ago and would not make it any other way and you can add any myriad of ingredients to it too.
Have a super weekend.
:-) Mandy xo
Mandy, it was just so easy! I was really surprised – I thought the whole thing would overflow and I’d have oil everywhere. But Annabel’s recipes are pretty reliable! :)
Wow that does look easy. I might give that one a go.
Glenda, it’s a doddle. :)
OK, that looks easy enough – think I’ll try it. I’ve got a stick blender, but since I picked it up in a Thrift Store, it had no accompanying jar – do you think a 4 cup measure (narrow with tall sides) would work?
Nice post – thanks.
Doc, it should be fine – the original recipe just says to use a narrow bowl or jug. After all the time I’ve spent whisking egg yolks and dribbling in oil, I was really surprised that this was so easy! :)
Good for Malden sea salt. I like Dijon mustard too.
We’re big Maldon fans here too, Peter! :)
So when you say that you used to make mayo the old fashioned way, I presume you mean with condensed milk and mustard powder, etc?!😜
Amanda, can you actually make mayo with condensed milk and mustard powder? Hehehe…I learn something new every day.. ;-)
I read a recipe like this ages ago and never found it again. Thank you God and Celia. Like you i am now a believer and with my not quite so new, but new to me, stick blender and the jug it came with i can make mayo any time.. excellent. i am writing this down on a card immediately.. won’t even take me a minute! c
Celi, this is so easy! And in your case, there will be amazingly fresh eggs to use! :)
PS. Annabel is a NZer, and her book and tv program are fabulous! I think you’d like her recipes! :)
I adore Annabel’s recipes. They always work, always taste great, make a good, decent amount and don’t require obscure ingredients – she’s really got it all worked out as far as I’m concerned.
Amanda, that’s all true, isn’t it? I hadn’t thought of it like that, but you’ve summed up very accurately just why I like her recipes too. The same could be said about Jamie Oliver’s recipes too!
Much better than the old fashioned way! Looks creamy & delicious :) In culinary school, they used to make us whisk away until our wrists fell off…no excuses!
Emilie, it was silly how quick it was! All that time I’ve spent whisking! :)
Gill was telling me the other day that the key thing was the type of oil and she recommended grapeseed oil too, she was going to give me mayo training next time I saw her, but I think I will get in practice now with this one. I confess I have never made good mayo and gave up a long time ago ;)
Jo, I think the mustard might be optional – Pete’s not convinced as he’s not a big mustard fan, but Big Boy and I love it! When we make mayo by hand, I think it splits one out of every three attempts! :)
Did someone mention my name? I tried all sorts of ways with mayo when I couldn’t stand the saltiness of Hellmanns any longer. I believe the mustard is needed to create an emulsification that then remains stable.
It’s great the all in one method isn’t it. I was getting it wrong so many times, as I didn’t realize you put the lot in first.
But I do make mayo by hand using a balloon whisk usually. It’s rather therapeutic.
Lovely post Celia.
Gill, you’re right – I tried it without the mustard and it didn’t work. Darn it.. :)
I have been doing this for a while and it always works after I put all the ingredients in the jug I let it sit for a minute before blending, I have used vegetable oils and a mild flavoured olive oil as well.
Oooh, thanks for the tip, Anne!
Love this quick mayo, Celia. Makes a lovely, dollopy mayonnaise.
Lizzy, Annabel says you can add more oil if you want the mayo thicker – which is counterintuitive, but works! :)
Perfect as can be. I love New Zealand ingenuity
Gotta love ’em, eh? :)
I’ve been making my own mayonnaise using a similar recipe which includes garlic and anchovies. It’s also good to add wasabi too for a different taste.
Michelle, I’m keen to try adding garlic to see if I can make a quick aioli – but I’d never thought to add anchovies! Thanks for the tip!
Oh wow, that is SO easy! I’ve always wanted to make my own mayo…but just never did (to scary). Could you tell me what other oils are considered “neutral”…please.
Mel, we use grapeseed, but I think sunflower or canola would work fine as well. Just anything that isn’t too strongly flavoured. We never have much luck making mayo with olive oil – it seems to overpower the finished product.
I make one very like this one and my kids even like it better than store bought! To allow it to keep longer than a week or two, add about 1 tablespoon fresh whey (off natural yoghurt). Leave on the bench for about 6 hours and then keep in the refrigerator. I’ve kept it for ages like this – if it lasts that long! (Nourishing Traditions).
Lucy, thank you! My friend Christina was telling me something similar this week. I doubt it will last longer than a couple of weeks in our house though.. ;-)
Thanks, Celia!
I’ve been making it with a whisk and dribbling oil- AND I do have a stick blender and the jug it came with- making this this weekend!
Heidi, we have been as well! This was just so much easier!
I’m a little too crazy about mayonnaise. We bought a smaller jar once and before I knew it, we had finished it really quickly. In my defense (;) ) we had a lot of salads and i love mayo with salad :)
It never lasts long here either, Lorraine.. ;-)
That’s the way my mum has always made it too. Dead easy! (I still get a little wobbly over raw egg though…I know, I know I should just get over it :-) I think it’s my ‘thing’.
Brydie, I understand completely – I didn’t get over my phobia until we had our own chooks!
Fantastic Celia, sacrificing only time, not flavour! So very yummy indeed! Xox
AND it’s gluten and dairy free, Becca! :) xx
That is easy! I’m a bit scared of the raw egg too. If only I had my own chickens so I could see the freshness with my own eyes and not have to trust someone else.
Claire, the time will come, I’m sure of it! :) I must admit, it wasn’t until we had our own chooks that I was happy to eat raw egg!
Annabel is a great favourite of mine too, my first book of her’s was Assembling and, latterly, Eat Fresh. Thanks for this recipe Celia, why I don’t usually make our own mayo is beyond me — but I will now. :)
Rose, we’re fortunate to have our own eggs, so we make mayo all the time – only now it’s going to be much easier! :)
This looks great, I’ve always wanted to make my own mayo but for some reason felt a bit daunted but if I can use my handy stick blender, I might just get brave as I’ve jotted it down – I’d like to play with different additions as well :)
ED, Pete has asked me to leave the mustard out next time, and I will. It’s lovely how adaptable a recipe like this is! :)
I have been making my mayo this way for over 20 years and it is the best :)
Tandy, it’s how we’ll be doing it from now on! :)
I’ve not made mayo in ages and really should There is nothing like home-made. I just added eggs to my farmers market shopping list. It looks like your mayo will be in my fridge before long. Thanks, Celia!
John, it’s really Annabel’s mayo, and it’s just brilliant! :) We made coleslaw the first night, and new season potato salad last night with the dill and caper mayo!
This is brilliant. Off to try it right now.
Hope you like it, Sally! :)
I really like Annabel and this mayo is terrific. I started watching her when we lived in NZ and I never missed a show.
She’s fabulous, isn’t she? Her recipes are so approachable..
Now you just need to try the whey trick to make it last in the fridge for longer.
Won’t need to, Chris, we had friends to dinner last night, and it’s almost all gone! :)
Wow.. I was completely expecting to see a photo of your forearm whisking away mightly.. to see an immersion blender was fantastic! I can’t believe it’s so easy!!
Barb, it’s really amazing – I was sure I’d end up with mayo all over the kitchen bench, but it didn’t happen! :)
Hahaha.. something I would totally do!
Thanks for the recipe reminder. I’ve made stick blender mayo before but had forgotten about it. Made a half batch last night, slaw coming up for lunch.
Liz, we made coleslaw the first night, and potato salad the next! :)
Just about to make a dressing for Caesar salad so this is timely! I’ve used the whisk on my stick blender to make mayo but always dribbled the oil in. No more dribbling for me! I like the tip from Lucy about the natural yoghurt – too many leftovers get wasted here.
And 10 minutes later it’s done. Thanks for the tip Celia. That was so easy
Jo, that’s cool! Thanks for letting me know! How are the chocolates going? ;-)
I am being very disciplined so there’s still some left! The roasted almond is my favourite. I made butterscotch bars on the weekend with the baking bits which were very well received – there’s none of them left!
Wonderful, although sadly verboten in our house.
Ah yes, I remember, Katherine’s not a fan. :)
This is such a handy recipe to have – thanks for sharing!
Most welcome! Hope you find it useful! :)
I don’t have that cookbook but I’ve heard many good things about it. I love the look of this mayo and of course you would have access to the best and freshest free-range eggs xx
Charlie, you know I’m always happy to share, just let me know! :)
Welcome to the world of stick-blended condiments. Isn’t progress a marvy thing??!! :D I haven’t used a balloon whisk for a long time when making mayo.
Misky, it was so easy, I wish I’d known it years ago! :)
Talking about using appliances in new ways I found the best way of making felafel mix. I have only a tiny food processor and therefor making felafel mix has been a real chore. My new solution is use the juicer!. After soaking the beans well, put a large bowl under the spout and just feel them right in, you will need to put in the stick or keep your hand over the hole to keep them from jumping out. When you are done with the beans which only takes a minute then feed in a whole bunch of corriander and two onions. Open the juicer and take out what you would normally throw away when juicing and add it to the corriander and oinion juice in the bowl. Then mix and juice as many sticks of cellery as needed to make the mix the right consistency for felafel.
Great idea, Frances! :)
I am really not into raw eggs, but this sounds really delicious and so easy with a stick blender, another use for the stick blender.
Norma, until now, I’ve only really used it to blend soups in the pot. :)
Hi Celia
I love making mayonnaise and make it with our own eggs which are kept at optimum temperatures. However, I never keep it in the fridge for more than 24 hours. All animal protein should be limited to a fairly short time frame without cooking and for raw egg (out of the shell) it is around 24 hours.
Thanks for the tip, Meg. I’m a little confused though – Stephanie Alexander recommends storing unshelled whites for up to a week, and yolks under water for three days?
Hi Celia
I understand your confusion.
I have been on the committees which drew up the egg food safety codes in Victoria and then Australia. I assure you that around 24 hours is the microbiologically correct advice for yolk and whole egg – especially if some of that time has been spent at ambient temperatures. Salmonella grows fastest at 32C and above but still grows at other temperatures. When it has started growing and then is put in the fridge, the growth slows down but does not stop. Salmonella can get into egg by bad handling such as dropping shell in the egg after it has been handled – especially if hands have not been well washed. It also can get in by contact with hands, bowls, utensils etc which have not been properly washed.
Egg white has anti-bacterial properties which does mean that it can be stored for a little longer. Household fridges usually run at around 8C not the 4-5C most people think they do.
Cooking kills salmonella quickly, as does hot water and soap. People get sick when raw or undercooked eggs are eaten under trigger conditions. These are, for example, when there is a combination of incorrect temperature, poor handling and made more likely if the eggs have been stored on the bench or stored in second hand cartons which have had broken eggs in them.
I make mayonnaise from our own eggs, laid that day, just before I am going to use it. If it is not eaten in 24 hours, I throw it out. I know it is easier for me, as we have a lot of eggs, but since mayonnaise is so easy to make this way I think it is better to stick to the 24 hour limit.
Regards
Meg Parkinson
Meg, thank you so much for this! I’ve just sent you an email… thanks, Celia