Just this week, the world grew cold. John started burning all the yard debris and wood scraps from his fair weather construction projects while we scrambled to plant trees before the first freeze. Leo insists on wearing every pair of mittens and socks he can find(regardless if they fit him), and layering pajamas under his Spiderman onesie in lieu of a coat. I pulled up the last eggplant and okra I was letting go to seed, shoved our shorts to the back of the closet, assessed the new moth holes in our sweaters, and began to ransack the fridge and pantry for fat to consume. It is a good day to make mayonnaise and nut butter… two great sources of healthy fats. You must have a food processor for these.
My basic, don’t think too hard, mayo recipe is;
ingredients
- 2 egg yolks
- juice of one juicy lemon
- salt & a pinch of sugar(if you like)
- sunflower/safflower oil
method
So, you put everything in the food processor, except the oil. Run it for 30 seconds or so before you start to slowly add the oil in a thin drizzle until desired consistency is reached. You can, of course, add herbs, roasted garlic or red peppers, and whatever else your beautiful creative palate-mind can dream up. If you choose to use olive oil instead, you are making aioli. I find the olive oil flavor a bit strong(probably because I was raised on Hellman’s), so when I make aioli, I use less oil and make a softer, more lemony condiment. When I want that Hellman’s American Mayo experience, I use a little sugar and lots of neutral oil(like sunflower or safflower oil)… adding it in until peaks form.
All eggs are not created equal. Same with any ingredient. In my experience, the best eggs are pasture raised. Organic doesn’t seem to make a difference when it comes to beautiful, delicious orange yolks(yes, they should be orange, not yellow). Of course, lemons vary greatly in how much juice they contain. I opt for organic first cold-press oils for most applications, but especially for things like condiments and salad dressings, which will not touch heat. I go with the cheapest high heat oil I can find for deep frying.
Nut Butter
For the nut butter, you can get really creative. The basic process is to toast some nuts, let ’em cool, throw em in the food processor, and slowly add a suitable oil with the motor running until desired consistency is reached. Adding sea salt and local honey is a must for me, but I understand from browsing grocery store shelves that people are weird. I love having a classic peanut butter around. Apart from just being really satisfying, it’s also the cheapest, fattiest nut you can find… and you can use it to make thai peanut sauce, rice crispy treats, throw it in smoothies, cookies, etc. Toasted sesame seeds ground up with sesame oil is Tahini, which has a myriad of applications, such as hummus, salad dressings, and, ya know… sauce! Pecan butter is another favorite and it has the added allure of local sourceability. Most nuts(such as walnuts, pecans, and peanuts) really need to be roasted first, for taste as well as texture. Cashews, however, could care less. Here is one of our family favorites I like to call…
Damn Good Nut Butter
- 2 1/2 cups cashews
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 5 pitted dates
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cardamom
- big pinch of sea salt
- honey to taste
- coconut oil(room temp- add slowly until desired consistency is reached)
Pecan Butter
- 1 lb pecans, toasted on the stovetop in a black iron skillet
- sea salt and honey to taste
- pecan oil
3 responses to “Mayonnaise & Nut Butter:
healthy fats on hand and in demand
”Very wonderfully written and so easy to follow the recipe. Looking forward to seeing more. Thanks
Katie, Congratulations on your new website!! I can’t wait to see the next post❤️
Love your blog, Katie. Makes me want to make mayonnaise again.