← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, for boiling
• 1 very fresh egg yolk, at room temperature (for the mayonnaise)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 200 ml sunflower oil, or half sunflower and half olive oil
• salt and white pepper
• 4 crisp lettuce leaves (optional)
• 1 tbsp Chives, snipped

Method

1. Lower the eggs into a pan of boiling water and cook at a steady simmer for 9 min for firm whites and just-set, bright yolks. Move them straight into iced water for 5 min, then peel.
2. For the mayonnaise, whisk the yolk with the mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl set on a damp cloth.
3. Whisking constantly, add the oil drop by drop at first, then in a thin, steady stream once it starts to thicken, until you have a thick, glossy mayonnaise. Season with salt and white pepper; thin with a few drops of water if very stiff.
4. Halve the eggs lengthways and arrange them cut side down on lettuce leaves. Spoon the mayonnaise generously over the top and finish with chives.

Tips

• Homemade mayonnaise uses raw yolk: use pasteurised eggs for anyone pregnant, very young, elderly or unwell, and keep it chilled.
• If the mayonnaise splits, whisk a fresh yolk in a clean bowl and slowly whisk the split mixture into it.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

Serious Eats RecipeTin Eats