Don’t Hold Back Flavoring the Mayo (Published 2007) (2024)

IT’S difficult to argue that mayonnaise is underappreciated, given that just about everyone has a jar of it sitting in the fridge, and always will. But it would be easy to contend that it isn’t used as often as it might be were we to consider it a sauce, as the French do, rather than limiting its primary use to moistening and binding canned tuna.

I’ve long tried to persuade people to make their own mayo, but frankly, it’s a hard sell: the process involves work, it’s not foolproof and, after all, the store-bought stuff isn’t half bad.

And almost everyone in this country grew up with it, therefore believing — just as the Hellmann’s label says — that it’s “real.” It’s not real real, of course, at least compared with homemade, any more than bottled salad dressing is real compared with your vinaigrette, but it’s real enough. (I’m not talking about the low-fat and the no-fat versions, which I think are vile.)

When you make your own mayonnaise, you almost automatically think first about how you will use it — it’s almost never used as a sandwich spread — and then how to flavor it. You might throw in some garlic, or herbs, or saffron, or capers, or you might shift the acid ingredient from vinegar to lemon or lime.

If you start thinking of bottled mayonnaise in the same way, the potential is vast. It’s worth noting that the commercial stuff is sometimes too thick and sweet to use as a sauce. The texture can be thinned by adding a bit of water or cream and beating it for a few seconds. But adding a bit of acidity — in the form of citrus juice, a few drops of vinegar or a little sour cream or yogurt — thins it out while making it more adult-tasting.

With or without that addition, once you start to think of the things you can stir into mayonnaise, you’ll have trouble stopping. The simplest thing to do is to start with about a cup of mayonnaise, then stir in a portion of your add-in. The amount will vary, from a quarter teaspoon or so of cayenne to a half cup or so of chopped herbs. Then taste and adjust. Once you have a formula you like, stick with it.

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Here are some ideas you might play with, alone or in combination, that make store-bought mayonnaise taste better and meld more closely to other foods:

GARLIC MAYONNAISE (AIOLI) You can use a lot of garlic or a little (I would start with a teaspoon), but make sure it’s finely minced.

CHILI MAYONNAISE Use mild chili powder (at least a teaspoon), like ancho, or hotter stuff; or mince a canned chipotle and add a little of its adobo sauce. Curry powder (a tablespoon or so) is good, too.

ROASTED PEPPER MAYONNAISE Start with two tablespoons of minced roasted red pepper (or canned pimentos, or canned piquillos), and work your way up from there.

HERBED MAYONNAISE Mince a sprig of tarragon, a few sprigs of watercress or arugula (thick stems removed), a dozen chives and the leaves of five parsley stems. But think, too, of basil, chervil and dill.

MUSTARD MAYONNAISE Stir in a tablespoon or so of Dijon-style or whole grain mustard. This is so good it’s a miracle.

What else? Wasabi or soy sauce, to taste. A pinch of saffron: left to sit in the mayo for a few minutes, it will dissolve; stir it to incorporate its color and flavor. A couple of teaspoons of chopped pickles: you can call this tartar sauce. Tabasco or other hot sauce. Chopped nuts: I like almonds, but peanuts are good, too, especially with soy sauce. Grated citrus zest, horseradish, ginger, capers, anchovies, olives ... oh, and chopped truffles, if you have any lying around.

The list of items on which you can use your newfound sauce is almost as long, but I have an idea for a starting place: cold grilled tuna. Might as well keep it in the family.