The Everyday Gourmet, a local gourmet food and cookware store opened in 1981 by Carol Puckett and Dorothy Puckett, was the epitome of “buy local.” Mississippi pottery, from Gail Pittman to Good Earth, was displayed in the front of the store alongside specialty food items like Fat Mama’s knock you-naked margarita mix and Shapley’s steak seasoning. But the real magic happened in the back of the store. Southern chefs traveled to cook their specialties over the mammoth Viking gas range, manufactured in Greenwood, MS, beneath the pastel floral tiles painted by Gail Pittman.
This is where I started my culinary adventures, under the tutelage of Julie Levanway, who oversaw the cooking school about 20 years ago. (So many thanks to Julie for being a culinary inspiration to so many Jacksonians and extending such an amazing opportunity to a math nerd with a penchant for torching sugar on crème brulee.) Before beginning as a cooking school volunteer, I attended a class where I watched Natchez’s Regina Charboneau whip up a Southern Pot Roast with horseradish mashed potatoes and wilted leaks for the ages while effortlessly chitchatting with the audience. I was hooked. Even after my fingers smelled of crawfish heads for a week from cleaning and stuffing the heads for Poppy Tooker’s crawfish bisque, I was still hooked.
I assisted several chefs in my few years at the Everyday Gourmet, now owned by Marlana Walters, but one of my favorites was Sarah Foster. Known for her appearances on Martha Stewart Living and owner of Foster’s Market in Durham, North Carolina, Sarah Foster arrived to a sold-out crowd on her book tour for The Foster’s Market Cookbook.
When her roasted butternut squash soup with tomatoes hit my taste buds for the first time, I felt like Remy from the movie Ratatouille when fireworks explode in the background as he combines cheese and strawberry. I thought to myself if she can infuse such magic into butternut squash soup, then her other recipes must be worth a try. As I cooked my way through The Foster’s Market Cookbook, I stumbled upon a recipe for basil mayonnaise. I don’t even like mayonnaise. I soon discovered that I loved basil mayonnaise. This is the version that I have settled upon with plenty of lemon juice and garlic alongside the basil.
Basil Mayonnaise
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
Description
As I cooked my way through The Foster’s Market Cookbook, I stumbled upon a recipe for basil mayonnaise. I don’t even like mayonnaise. I soon discovered that I loved basil mayonnaise. This is the version that I have settled upon with plenty of lemon juice and garlic alongside the basil.
Ingredients
- 1 egg (ideally pasteurized)
- 1 egg yolk (ideally pasteurized)
- 2 Tbs lemon juice
- 2 Tbs champagne vinegar
- 1 Tbs garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 Tbs Dijon or honey mustard
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup basil
- 2 cups canola oil
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Instructions
- In a Cuisinart or blender, combine the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Blend on high until all ingredients well combined.
- Add the basil and pulse to combine.
- With the blender on low speed, slowly drizzle in the oils. If you add the oil too fast, the mayonnaise will split.
- Refrigerate and enjoy as a mayonnaise substitute in almost any recipe, including crab cakes, a ham and cheese sandwich, or potato salad.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
Keywords: mayo, condiments, basil mayo