Equipment
Ingredients
Tomato Preparation
- 150 g ripe tomatoes, halved
Emulsion Base
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 5 g dijon mustard, smooth
- 5 ml white wine vinegar
- 2 g fine sea salt
Oils
- 100 ml neutral oil
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 101 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 61 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 14 mg
- Potassium
- 27 mg
- Calcium
- 3 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 1 mg
- Phosphorus
- 8 mg
- Zinc
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 5 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Folate
- 2 mcg
- Water
- 1 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the flesh of the halved tomatoes into a bowl. Discard the remaining tomato skins.
Pass the grated tomato pulp through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently with a spoon to extract exactly 30ml of clear, fresh tomato juice. Discard the seeds and solids.
In a tall, narrow jar that is just slightly wider than the head of your immersion blender, combine the egg yolk, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, sea salt, and the 30ml of extracted tomato juice.
Pour both the neutral oil and the extra virgin olive oil directly on top of the tomato juice mixture. Let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute to allow the heavier liquids to settle at the bottom.
Place the immersion blender firmly against the bottom of the jar. Turn it on high speed and hold it completely still for 10 to 15 seconds. Once a thick emulsion forms at the base, slowly tilt and lift the blender to draw down the remaining oil, whipping until fully emulsified.
Taste the mayonnaise and adjust the seasoning. Add a small pinch of sugar if the fresh tomatoes are too acidic, or additional salt as needed.
Chef's Notes
- Using an immersion blender requires a blending vessel that is only slightly wider than the blender head. This exact fit forces the oil to travel through the high-shear vortex properly, ensuring a fail-proof emulsion.
- A blend of neutral oil and olive oil is critical. Blending 100 percent extra virgin olive oil with a high-speed blade tears the polyphenols apart, releasing compounds that turn the mayonnaise profoundly bitter.
- For an even deeper red color and intensely concentrated umami flavor, you can simmer the strained tomato juice until it reduces by half, cool it completely, and use that in place of the raw juice.
- The fresh tomato juice replaces the traditional water or excess vinegar found in standard mayonnaise, maintaining the proper liquid-to-oil ratio needed for a thick, stable texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The high fresh juice content limits shelf life.
Troubleshooting
Mayonnaise is thin, watery, or looks curdled
Cause: The emulsion broke because the oil was drawn in too quickly before the base had a chance to bind.
Fix: Place a fresh egg yolk and 1 teaspoon of warm water in a clean mixing bowl. Whisking vigorously, slowly drizzle the broken mayonnaise into the new yolk drop by drop until fully re-emulsified.
Prevention: Ensure the immersion blender is held completely flat against the bottom of the jar until the thick white base forms, trapping the blade before you begin moving it upward.
Cultural Context
Mayonnaise has deep roots in the Mediterranean, widely believed to have originated in Mahon, Menorca as salsa mahonesa. Infusing this classic emulsion with the quintessential Mediterranean flavor of fresh, ripe tomatoes creates a condiment that bridges classical French culinary technique with Spanish and Italian coastal flavor profiles.
