Equipment
Ingredients
Mayonnaise Base
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 10 g dijon mustard, room temperature
- 15 ml white wine vinegar
- 3 g kosher salt
- 200 ml neutral oil
Flavorings
- 100 g english cucumber, grated
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 96 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 65 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 19 mg
- Potassium
- 14 mg
- Calcium
- 5 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 1 mg
- Phosphorus
- 9 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 9 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 4 mcg
- Water
- 7 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Grate the English cucumber using a box grater. Place the grated cucumber into a piece of cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel. Squeeze firmly over a sink to extract and discard as much liquid as possible. The cucumber must be very dry to prevent the mayonnaise from turning watery.
In a medium glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the room-temperature egg yolks, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, and kosher salt. Ensure all ingredients are at approximately 20°C/68°F to encourage a stable emulsion. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is smooth and slightly paler in color.
While whisking continuously and rapidly, begin adding the neutral oil drop by drop. Once the mixture starts to thicken and looks opaque, you can increase the flow of oil to a very slow, thin, steady stream. Continue whisking until all 200ml of oil is fully incorporated and you have a thick, glossy mayonnaise.
Add the squeezed, dry grated cucumber and the finely chopped fresh dill to the mayonnaise. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold the mixture until the herbs and cucumber are evenly distributed.
Transfer the infused mayonnaise to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the fresh dill and cucumber flavors to permeate the emulsion.
Chef's Notes
- To ensure food safety for vulnerable populations, use commercial pasteurized liquid egg yolks or heat whole yolks over a double boiler to 71°C/160°F with the vinegar and a splash of water before emulsifying.
- Do not use extra virgin olive oil for the base; the intense whisking action can cause olive oil to develop bitter tasting compounds. Stick to strictly neutral oils.
- The mustard acts as an essential co-emulsifier due to its mucilage content. Do not skip it, even if you prefer a milder mustard flavor.
- If the final mayonnaise is too thick, thin it with a few drops of lemon juice or cold water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in a sterilized, airtight glass jar. High moisture from the cucumber reduces the shelf life compared to standard mayonnaise.
Troubleshooting
Mayonnaise is thin, greasy, or separated
Cause: Oil was added too quickly before an emulsion could form, or ingredients were too cold.
Fix: Place one fresh, room-temperature egg yolk and a teaspoon of warm water in a clean bowl. Slowly whisk the broken mayonnaise mixture into the new yolk, treating the broken mayo as the oil.
Prevention: Ensure egg yolks are at room temperature and add the first tablespoon of oil literally drop by drop.
Mayonnaise becomes watery after storing
Cause: Too much residual moisture was left in the grated cucumber.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but can be repurposed as a thinner salad dressing.
Prevention: Squeeze the grated cucumber forcefully in a cheesecloth; salt it briefly before squeezing if necessary to draw out more water.
Cultural Context
While mayonnaise is a cornerstone of classic French culinary technique, infusing it with dill and cucumber draws heavily from Scandinavian and Eastern European flavor profiles. These regions frequently pair rich, creamy bases with bright, cold-weather herbs and crisp vegetables to complement smoked fish and root vegetable dishes.
