The No-Waste Secret To Andrew Zimmern's Ultra Umami Mayo

Celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern is known for using mayo to spruce up dishes and prepare special homemade condiments that serve as flavorful additions to main dishes and appetizers. Yet, to make a mayonnaise that delivers a rich umami kick, Zimmern gets resourceful. Using oil from canned fish like mackerel and sardines, he adds richness to salad dressings and sauces.

Zimmern insists making mayonnaise at home is simple to do — simply add a squeeze of lemon to egg yolks, include a pinch of mustard, and blend all of the ingredients together while pouring a thin stream of canola oil into the mixture. Making homemade mayo puts the texture and taste of the condiment in your own hands, and when you include oil from an opened can of fish, you'll have a delicious spread that can be spooned onto sandwiches, slathered onto cut vegetables, or used in the marinade for tonight's servings of protein.

Customize your umami mayo for the meal you're planning to serve by adding minced jalapeño, roasted garlic, chives, or dry kale to the spread. Spices and herbs can easily be folded into the mayo you've prepared and then be used later on to liven up dinner presentations and lunch menus. Once you have a batch of homemade mayo stored in your kitchen, you can quickly add it to a variety of other recipes like dips, zesty sandwich toppings, and herby marinades, or coat slices of bread for satisfying grilled cheese sandwiches.

The next time you're tempted to drain a can of tuna or sardines over the kitchen sink, set that extra oil to the side and remember that you can make the kind of mayonnaise that can't be bought from a store — right in the comfort of your own home. Zimmern would fully approve of your culinary thriftiness.