Today’s post comes directly from James Peterson’s helpful book What’s A Cook To Do? A well chosen sauce or dip can take a meal from good to great. That’s what today’s post is all about it. It’s a two-parter. First I’ll include a short recipe for instant mayonnaise, which then can be used to make up to 10 different sauces.

Here we go!

Tip #367: How to Make Instant Mayonnaise
The secret to instant, foolproof mayonnaise is to use a little jarred mayonnaise to get started. Because the jarred mayonnaise pulls all the ingredients together with powerful emulsifiers, you simply whisk in oil and lemon juice and, if you want the color, a raw egg yolk or two. If the mayonnaise starts to get too thick, which can cause it to separate, add a tablespoon or two of water.

1. Whisk 2 cups vegetable oil or pure olive oil into 1/2 cup jarred mayonnaise
2. Add water, lemon juice or vinegar as needed to keep the mayonnaise from getting too thick.

Do I have to worry about raw egg in sauces?
The latest statistics indicate that one in twenty thousand eggs is infected with salmonella bacteria. If you’re using one egg yolk to make mayonnaise for two people, it’s probably worth running the risk. If you’re using one thousand egg yolks to make mayonnaise for twenty thousand people, then the risk is one in twenty that you’re going to make twenty thousand people sick – the risk is too high.

Continue reading →