FERMENTED EGG YOLK RECIPES

Steps:

• Whisk salt and sugar in a medium bowl to combine. Evenly spread out half of salt mixture in an 8x8" glass baking dish. Using the back of a tablespoon, create 4 depressions in salt mixture, spacing evenly. Carefully place an egg yolk in each depression. Gently sprinkle remaining salt mixture over yolks and tightly wrap dish with plastic. Chill 4 days.
• Preheat oven to 150°. Brush salt mixture off each yolk, then carefully rinse under cold water to remove any remaining salt (yolks will be semi-firm, bright, and translucent). Gently pat dry with paper towels.
• Generously coat a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray; place yolks on rack. Dry out in oven until opaque and texture is like a firm Gruyère cheese, 1½–2 hours. Let cool. (Alternatively, if your oven doesn’t go that low, you can dry out eggs in an unheated oven for 2 days.)
• Finely grate cured egg yolks over soups, pastas, or salads as you would a hard cheese.
• Do Ahead: Yolks can be cured 1 month ahead. Place in an airtight container and chill.

Steps:

• Stick or "immersion" blenders come with a beaker which fits nicely around the blender. If you don't have this beaker, find a thin, tall container which fits closely around the blender.
• Place the egg yolks, lemon juice, white wine vinegar, Tabasco, water, dry mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper in the beaker.
• Gently pour the grape seed oil (or whichever oil you have decided to use) on top of all the other ingredients in the beaker.
• Place the stick blender in the beaker, with the bottom of the blender resting on the bottom of the beaker.
• Pulse the blender, about three seconds at a time, keeping the bottom of the blender in contact with the bottom of the beaker. Do this until you see the mixture begin to emulsify (i.e. turn thick and white colored).
• Once the bottom fourth of the mixture is emulsified, begin to slowly raise the stick blender, incorporating more of the oil into the emulsification. I use a slow up and down movement, incorporating a bit more oil each time I raise the blender up. Continue until all the oil is incorporated. I continue to blend, moving the blender up and down and around the beaker, for about 30 seconds after all the oil has been incorporated, because I like my mayo to be thick.
• Refrigerate and use within one week.
• *NOTES*: I use grape seed oil, because it is a good neutral-tasting oil, but you could use any kind of oil you like. If you use all olive oil, the mayonnaise will taste predominantly of olive oil, so take that into account, and think about the recipe you will be using the mayo in before you use all olive oil. You can also experiment with using blends of different oils.
• If you are using the stick blender technique, you can make a half recipe, but I wouldn't try a half recipe if you are making the mayo using a food processor.
• TO MAKE LACTO-FERMENTED MAYO:
• Omit the 2 teaspoons cold water and add 1 tablespoon whey instead. Add the whey when you are adding the lemon juice and vinegar. Make the mayo as usual, but when you are finished, leave it to sit out at room temperature for 7 hours before putting it in the fridge. Mayo made this way will last in the fridge for 6 months. I like to use an oil blend in my lacto-fermented mayonnaise - I use 1/3 macadamia nut oil, 1/3 almond oil, and 1/3 extra virgin olive oil.
• TO MAKE WHEY: buy a container of plain whole fat yogurt - make sure it is true plain yogurt, no sugars or anything else added. Also, you DO NOT want "Greek" style yogurt - this yogurt has already been strained and has had most of its whey removed already. Wet some cheesecloth, wring it out, and place it in a strainer over a bowl. Pour in the yogurt, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit on the counter overnight or for 8 hours. The resulting liquid is whey. Place the whey in a sealed container in the fridge - it will keep for up to 6 months. You can eat the concentrated yogurt cheese which is left behind.
• TO PASTEURIZE EGG YOLKS: Gather 3 whisks or forks. Place the egg yolks in a small bowl and use the first whisk or fork to combine the egg yolks with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add 2 tablespoons of water to the egg yolk mixture and whisk again. Seal the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the microwave. Heat the egg mixture on high until the surface begins to rise. Once you see this, cook for 8 more seconds, then immediately remove the bowl and whisk the yolks vigorously with a CLEAN whisk. Re-cover the bowl and immediately return to the microwave and heat on high again until the surface begins to rise. Continue for 8 more seconds, then remove and whisk vigourously with the third CLEAN whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The yolks are now safe to use in mayonnaise or other raw-egg preparations. *If making the mayo with the pasturized egg yolks, use only 1 cup of oil - they cannot absorb as much oil as the unpasteurized yolks.*.