I have always wanted to try my hand at making my own mayonnaise, from what I had heard, it’s easy and once you make it yourself, you will never go back to store-bought. Honestly, I don’t use mayo often, but there are a few dishes and recipes that you can’t go without. Since I got the new Cookbook from Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, on Friday, I already have a long list of recipes I can’t wait to try. This may be a simple one to start with, but it worked out perfectly for what I was already making – chicken salad. Though any old store-bought mayo would do, I really wanted this chicken salad to be above and beyond. Once I came across this aioli recipe, I knew this was the key thing to finish it off perfectly. Why aioli and not mayo you ask? Well honestly, they really are the same thing, the only major difference is that aioli typically has garlic (or other flavors) added, where mayo goes without. I can never say no to garlic, so aioli it is! Some aioli recipes go without the eggs and are just an emulsion of olive oil, but I really love this recipe. I may try it with olive oil next time to see which I prefer.

Aioli
makes 2 cups

1 large egg (I used a fresh brown egg from Painted Meadows Farms)
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I used organic, no salt added, stone ground mustard)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup canola oil
½ teaspoon each, kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Place the egg, egg yolk, mustard, garlic and lemon juice in the food processor. (You can make it by hand, but it is much easier and more fail-safe in the food processor.) While it is blending, slowly drizzle in the oil, until it is thick and creamy. Add salt and pepper.

Did you add the oil too fast? If you add the oil too fast, the aioli will separate, so go very slowly. If it does separate, take the mixture out of the food processor, and start over. Put another egg and egg yolk into the food processor and blend them. Slowly, slowly add the separated aioli. That should do the trick.