One of the things I really miss (besides cheese) is mayo. Now, I am very picky about my mayo – it has to be Best Foods (Hellman’s for you East Coasters). I can taste the difference a mile away! Face it, mayo is full of fat and not exactly something I should be eating anyway. But if I am going to eat it, I want the real thing! In fact, the main reason I always order sandwiches and other foods dry (no mayo) is because I don’t want someone else’s bunk excuse for mayo.

But there are foods that just aren’t the same without a little mayo. For example an avocado, lettuce and tomato sandwich, a veggie burger, potato salad, cold slaw or an artichoke. And so you know, I truly believe that the only reason to eat an artichoke is as a mayo delivery vehicle.

Since we had such an abundance of tomatoes this summer I have been experimenting with different mayos. I have tried almonds, cashews, nutmilks and even cauliflower. Some were quite good and none were disasters. BUT none of them exactly nailed it.

Then it came to me. . most of the mayos are just fine, they just aren’t Best Foods. Maybe, just maybe, things might work out better for me if I tried just tasting the mayo without all my expectations.

What a concept!

More experiments ensued and I finally found one that I actually like. A nut mayonnaise:

Nutonnaise

1. Soak 1/4 cup almonds overnight (if you are short on time boil them for about 1 minute)
2. Slip the skins off the almonds by rolling them in a clean dry towel. Then gently dry the nuts in another  clean towel
3. Get out your Blender and add:
   • Almonds (blanched almonds from 1) 
   • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
   • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
   • 1/2 teaspoon dried mustard
   • OPTIONAL:  A pinch of salt
4. Blend until the ingredients are powdery
5. Add wet ingredients:
   • 1/4 cup water
   • 1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
   • 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
   • OPTIONAL: A drop or two of agave syrup
6. Blend together; when as blended as you can get it start slowly adding (through the hole in the top of the blender lid):
   1. 2 Tablespoons water
   2. 2 Tablespoons hemp oil
7. Slowly drizzle in the rest of the oil and water (if necessary) while running the blender at medium speed. You may need to stop the blender and stir by hand a couple of times to get it moving
   1. 2 Tablespoons olive oil
   2. 1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or another “flavorless” oil)
   3. Up to 1/4 cup water as needed
8. Put in a sealed container. Will stay good  up to 1 month in the fridge.

This recipe will work with Cashews, but I was not impressed with the consistency or the taste. Cashews do actually have a pretty strong flavor, whereas skinless almonds are more bland. And of course, we are still talking an unhealthy amount of oil, but I am all for the occasional treat. And speaking of oil, you can use an 1/2 cup of oil you can dream up. I happened to like the nuttiness of the hemp a the flavor of the olive oil, but that is a purely personal preference.

See, it isn’t difficult and in fact, the hardest part is the clean up! Even that isn’t too bad. Just keep your rubber spatula handy!