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Mayonnaise is one of those things that you can’t live without. The ones you can find in the store are ok, but there that mystique about making your own! Is it the taste? Is it the fact that it may not be as safe?

• 1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
• 2 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 a cup to 1 cup of vegetable oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• juice of half a lemon

Preparation: 10 minutes.

Ready in 40 minutes.
The most important step is to make sure that you take the egg out of the refrigerator about an hour before you make the mayonnaise. If the egg yolk is too cold, the emulsion is not going to happen and you might end up with a big oily mess instead. It may help to take 2 eggs out, just in case.

In a small bowl or plastic container (3 to 4 inches in diameter, 4-5 inches high, vertical sides work best), put the egg yolk, the mustard and salt and pepper. With a hand mixer on the fastest speed, start mixing the egg yolk and the mustard.

Then add just a bit of oil, then a bit more while mixing. The key is to start adding the oil slowly. Once you have a nice creamy consistency, and it becomes stiff enough, then you can be more heavy handed.

There is no fast and hard rule about how much oil you need. Just stop when you have enough and you are satisfied with the consistency.

At this point, it is safe to add the lemon juice and mix the mayonnaise for a bit more. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Variation: instead of using lemon juice, you can use red wine vinegar (about a tablespoon).