Cybele Pascal

Rice Milk Mayonnaise (Egg-Free, Soy-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)

It’s back-to-school time, and in my house, that means “sandwiches”. What’s key to most sandwiches? Mayonnaise. But what do you do if you can’t eat eggs, soy, or even dairy? Make it yourself!

I wasn’t sure this recipe could be successfully done, without some form of protein to help emulsify the mayonnaise. Eggs are generally key to helping bind mayonnaise and aioli, and vegan mayo always seems to contain soy, so it must be there for a reason, right? Would I really be able to get a true eggy-like creamy mayonnaise without eggs, dairy, or soy? In my uncertainty, I turned to the God of all things kitchen, David Lebovitz. I thought if anyone could do egg-free, soy-free mayo, it would be him, and I was right. To my delight, I found that just a couple months ago, he’d blogged about an egg-free mayonnaise based upon a Portuguese recipe, using milk instead of eggs. But still, to my chagrin, this didn’t solve my protein problem. I needed to create a recipe that was dairy-free too. I pondered using Hemp milk, which has a fair amount of protein, but it can be rather “ropey” in flavor, and we don’t want that in our mayo. I settled on using rice milk, but that still didn’t solve the protein problem. And then, I remembered my old friend Xanthan Gum. A “thickener”, an “emulsifier” … Bingo! I was delighted, in fact, overjoyed to discover that you can make Egg-free, Soy-free, Dairy-free Mayonnaise, in all of about 5 minutes. The following recipe was inspired by David Lebovitz’s recipe for Eggless Chervil Mayonnaise which is an adaptation of a recipe from Leite’sCulinaria and The New Portuguese Table (Clarkson Potter) by David Leite. I really hope I got that accreditation right!

Rice Milk Mayonnaise (Egg-free, Soy-free, and Dairy-free)

Makes about 1 cup

The real trick to this recipe is the medicine dropper. I’m a mother of two young children, so this little tool is readily on hand. To emulsify the mayonnaise properly, you must drip the oil in a drop at a time, or it won’t work. The best way to control the flow, is with a dropper. It will take you a few minutes to get all that oil in the blender a drop at a time, but don’t be tempted to rush it. Your patience will pay off with perfection. Who would have thought it possible? Egg-free, dairy-free, and soy-free, but still with a lovely buttercup hue and the lush creaminess we love in fresh mayonnaise. Feel free to add fresh herbs at the end, or to use all canola oil, for a milder flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup cold rice milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/8th teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 small clove of garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil (or use all canola oil, 3/4 cup total, for a milder flavor)
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1. Combine the rice milk with the lemon juice and white pepper in a blender. Don’t use a food processor for this, use a blender. Using a garlic press, add the garlic. Add the xanthan gum, and mix on high speed until foamy.

2. Set the blender on high, and using the medicine dropper, add the oil, drop by drop, through the hole in the lid of the blender, until the mayonnaise begins to emulsify. You may wish to use your other hand to cover most of the hole in the lid, to prevent splattering. This is not a recipe for the impatient. Take your time! Continue to add the oil, in a steady drip, until the mayonnaise is thick and creamy, scraping down sides of blender as necessary. (I turned my cheap old blender off several times to let it cool down while making this. You may also wish to take pauses). Again, do not try to make this too quickly; the process of slowing incorporating the oil should take several minutes.

3. Add the salt, taste, and adjust salt and lemon juice if desired.

4. Serve at room temperature. Transfer remaining mayonnaise to a jar, and store tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Rice Milk Mayonnaise Copyright © 2010 by Cybele Pascal

(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available at Whole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)

SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns BEFORE consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.