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Oeufs Mayonnaise are the perfect balance of rich, creamy homemade mayo and perfectly cooked eggs. A match made in gastronomic heaven.

 

October 20 is International Chef’s Day.  I know most of the classics, but don’t ask me about any of the up-and-coming chefs.  I’m just not that much of a foodie.  My mom and stepdad seem to follow some new chefs, but my brain just doesn’t have the capacity to do that.  I don’t watch the news, and I don’t scroll through Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.  Yes, I watch those competitive cooking shows and watched Bobby Flay make a Spanish tortilla, but half the time I have no idea who the guest chef is, like Peter Reinhart who makes incredible struan bread.  

 

When I think of chefs I go back to the classics.  Dad and I used to watch PBS on Saturday mornings to see all the cooking shows.  It was our bonding time where we would learn new techniques, recipes, and ingredients to incorporate into our already varied menu.  We watched Julia Child who taught us French recipes like croissants weren’t impossible, but who didn’t?  Martin Yan from Yan Can Cook.  I saw him at a food and wine conference once and I was star struck!  I had to tell him that grew up watching him make delicious Asian food.  We watched Sarah Moulton, Lydia Bastianich, and Jaques Pepin!

 

 

Who is Jacques Pepin?

 

Jacques Pepin is a renowned French chef and culinary icon.  He has written books, hosted TV shows, worked in top restaurants, and taught French cuisine.  His expertise and passion for French cuisine have made him a household name, inspiring aspiring chefs and home cooks alike to experiment with traditional recipes and techniques.

 

He started his career as the personal chef to French president Charles de Galle.  After that he moved to the US in the late 50s and worked in New York’s top French restaurants.  John F Kennedy tried to hire him, but Jacques turned him down for a culinary development job with Howard Johnsons.  He has appeared on many cooking shows, written articles for the New York Times and Food & Wine, and even received a Daytime Emmy for the show Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home which was one of my favorites!  This oeufs mayonnaise is a recipe he’s famous for that is making a comeback!

 

 

What are Oeufs Mayonnaise?

 

Oeufs frais, or fresh eggs, first appeared on menus in the mid-1700s.  These are believed to be hard boiled eggs, but there’s really no connecting proof.  Legit hard-boiled eggs were popular to eat at the start of the meal in France in the 19th century in France.  But the oeufs mayonnaise that is the ancestor of the recipe we have today appeared in a recipe in the early 1900s but is believed to have been popular well before then.

 

Today, oeufs mayonnaise are making a comeback.  Chefs are customizing the combination of flavors in the mayonnaise with different herbs and vinegars as the base of the sauce.  They’re also including regional and elegant garnishes.  Some top them with king crab, trout roe or caviar, and some top with crispy and salty bacon or chicharones!

 

 

Ingredients for this recipe

 

There are a few basic ingredients needed for this recipe.  None of which are fancy or one use wonders.  The garnishes could be just as simple as some parsley to roe, anchovies, capers, roasted red peppers, Parmesan shavings, the possibilities are endless!

Eggs

Mayonnaise – Djon mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, egg yolks, extra virgin olive oil

Garnishes – finely diced shallots, chopped parsley, crushed potato chips

 

Making the eggs

 

To ensure your oeufs mayonnaise turn out perfectly it all starts with mastering the art of boiling eggs.  Most people think you start the eggs in a pan with cold water.  For me, my eggs turn out perfectly when I put them in a pot of boiling water.  I carefully lower the into the pot with a slotted spoon.  It helps keeping them from cracking if they’re not straight from the fridge, but they still might crack from gasses inside the shell that might expand.  From my experience, they will crack within a few seconds of going into the water.  I’ve not seen them collide and crack in the pan like some websites say.

 

 

I set the timer for 12 minutes.  That means the yolk is cooked through but not overcooked.  If you want a barely cooked yolk aim for 7 to 8 minutes depending on the size of the eggs.  For a jammy egg, then shoot for 8 to 10 minutes.  Just make sure you use the same size eggs once you figure out what your ideal yolk setting is.

 

 

When the timer goes off, immediately drain the eggs.  Toss them around in the pan to crack the shells very well, and then fill the pot with cold water.  Let them sit in the cold water until the eggs are cool enough to handle.  You can add ice if you want to speed up the cooling process.  Tossing them around in the pan makes them easier to peel. 

 

When I peel eggs I make sure to start at the bottom of the egg or the widest end of the egg.  I also make sure to grab the eggshell membrane.  If you can get a good hold of that when you’re peeling the egg peels easier and I usually don’t have any issues with the peel sticking causing the whites to break.  If I can’t grab it right off, I rub my thumb carefully against the egg so roll the membrane so I can grab it.

 

Always peel your eggs before refrigerating them.  If they sit in the fridge boiled in the shell, the shell is harder to peel.  Yes, you can cook them ahead of time and let them sit in an air tight container in the fridge.  I make eggs on Sunday for weekday breakfasts.  Sometimes they last a little longer so they will last at least a week if not more depending on the container and the temperature of your refrigerator.

 

 

Making the mayonnaise

 

If you’re serving the eggs as soon as they’re cool, then make the mayonnaise as the eggs are cooking.  Otherwise, make it first and let it chill in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. 

 

More conventional recipes have you whisking everything together.  I’m not that person.  I have a small food processor that’s perfect for making mayonnaise and aioli!  I put everything but the olive oil in the bowl of the food processor and blend until combined.  Then I slowly pour the olive oil through the top until the sauce reaches the consistency I want.  For me, that’s a spoonable sauce and not as thick as mayo is out of the jar.  Pour the mayo into an air tight container. 

 

How can you elevate oeufs mayonnaise?

 

We eat with our eyes!  So, make your garnishes colorful and appealing to the eyes.  Sprinkle some paprika, sweet or smoked, for a fun color.  Try fresh herbs like parsley or chives to enhance the visual appeal and provide a burst of additional flavor.  Top them with contrasting textures like potato chips in this recipe or some crispy fried onions or chicharrons.  Or try some salmon roe, anchovies or tuna in oil, roasted red peppers, or minced sweet pickles as a nod to egg salad. 

 

 

You can also experiment with different types of flavors in your mayonnaise.  How about a homemade garlic or lemon-infused mayonnaise.  With all these different vinegar flavors, you can have honey ginger or cucumber melon mayonnaise.  Or use a balsamic vinegar like espresso or bourbon maple.  By making small changes to the basic ingredients, you can impress your guests with your culinary creativity and take your oeufs mayonnaise from ordinary to extraordinary.

 

We have a slew of flavored olive oils to choose from, too!  Our favorite is garlic, but we also have rosemary, basil, bacon, harissa for a spicy mayo, or an Asian sesame olive oil.  We have a new flavor I can’t wait to try is pizzaiolo.  It has garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, spicy peppers, and a hint of lemon.  It would be perfect for a mayonnaise.

 

 

What does oeufs mayonnaise taste like?

 

Eggs with mayonnaise on top. But not like a Hellman’s or Duke’s mayonnaise, but an elevated, creamier, and more delicious mayonnaise.  Of course, if you have changed up  your ingredients and used a flavor vinegar or olive, it will affect the flavors.  I used a flavor vinegar and kept my olive oil extra virgin only.  Consistency is key with this recipe, too.  Make sure the mayonnaise is spoonable so it drapes over the eggs and doesn’t just pile on top.

 

Toppings make a difference in this oeufs mayonnaise recipe!  The eggs are creamy and the mayonnaise is creamy.  I wanted toppings that would add texture and interest to the dish.  I grabbed some kettle cooked salt and pepper chips and turned them into breadcrumb sized crumbs to sprinkle on top with some finely minced shallots and some minced parsley for color.

 

Oeufs mayonnaise are simple to make with pantry ingredients.  But they taste elevated and elegant.  I imagine sitting in a French bistro in the 20th century nibbling on this delightful staple of French cuisine just watching people go about their day.

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