🍽️ Homemade Mayonnaise & Celery, Date & Feta Salad 🥗

Homemade Mayonnaise has been a sore subject for me. The French are big on making their own-think Julia Child-and it’s common for most home cooks to have their own on hand in the fridg.  Not here. Bring out the Hellman’s and Miracle Whip are a staple in most American kitchens.  As much as I loved the idea of making my own, it NEVER turned out for me…That is, until I saw a little Dominique Ludwig video pop up on my Instagram. Who, may you ask is Dominique Ludwig?  Well, I’ll tell you. She is a British nutritionist/food therapist and author.  Think Emma Thompson meets Martha Stewart in the kitchen, only not as formal as Martha Stewart.  After watching Dominique’s video, I think what I had wrong or the recipes I have tried in the past, didn’t have the proportions correct. This time, in just a few seconds, I could already see that this was going to be a winner in terms of texture. It looks slightly yellow and fluffy.  The recipe I needed the mayonnaise for was a dip for Butternut Squash fries that required strained yogurt and 2 tablespoons of Mayonaisse.  Not having any on hand, I referenced the Dominique Ludwig video I remembered watching.  After whipping this up, store in a jar with a lid for one week, some say ten days. I’d say 1 week to be safe..  Here go…

Homemade Mayonnaise 

     -1 egg

     -1 Tablespoon lemon juice

     -1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

     -1 rounded teaspoon Dijon mustard

     -1/4 teaspoon salt

     -3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

    1.  Place all ingredients in a small blender container.

    2. Blend on high for a short time until mixture becomes whipped.

    3.  Store in an airtight glass jar for up to a week in your refrigerator.

Celery, Date and Feta Salad

     On this one, YUM, YUM YUM!  The flavors are absolutely delicious!  We had this as a side dish for dinner with salmon on Tuesday.  Wednesday I had it for lunch with cold salmon on top and on Thursday’s lunch with grilled chicken.  Here you go…

Ingredients

     -10 stalks of celery chopped 

       -6 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped finely

       -1/2 cup toasted walnuts

       -1/2 cup crumbled Feta cheese

       -1/4 cup finely chopped onion

  Dressing Ingredients

    -Juice of 1 lemon (about 2.5 Tablespoons)

       -1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

       -1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

       -1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Method

1. Place all salad ingredients in a large bowl and stir.
2. Place all dressing ingredients in a larger measuring cup (like a 2 cup measuring cup) and whisk with a mini whisk or fork.
3. Pour dressing atop the salad and toss.  Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.