When I was a kid, my parents would frequently take the family out to a local inn, a very down-to-earth place where you could count on meeting the regulars slowly consuming their feierabend beer at the counter, while having a very Sauerland-style conversation the most distinctive feature of which is that it is conducted in near-complete silence. 🙂

At the same time, families would come for dinner, mostly to enjoy a schnitzel which was served with the inevitable choices of mushroom, pepper or cream sauce and croquettes, French fries or fried potatoes on the side. The place did however also serve an excellent cold roast beef, the dish favored by both my parents and it was served to them as soon as they sat down without the need for confirmation. I did myself not come to appreciate the quality of the excellent local beef, cooked to perfection until I grew much older, but what does go back a long way is my appreciation for the homemade rémoulade that came on the side of the roast beef. As my mother at the same time professed not to like rémoulade (she did it very convincingly, so I believed it for the longest time), I was always permitted to eat my mother’s portion, to be spread over the croquettes that I would usually order.

My love for the mayonnaise-based dip got a bit forgotten as I grew older and set out to discover new foods and cuisines and, incidentally, the world. But when I made a large roast beef last Christmas and had quite a sizable portion of leftovers, my good old friend, the rémoulade, came back into the picture. – I still love it and I think it’s a great sauce to go with a really lovely cold roast beef, with smoked salmon or trout, barbecued meats, to be served as sauce for sandwiches or as dip with veggie sticks.

Sanni

Ingredients:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
• 2 heaped teaspoons of mustard
• 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon of white wine vinegar
• 150 ml of sunflower oil
• 1/2 tablespoon of salt
• 2-3 small cornichons (pickled gherkins), very finely chopped
• 1/2 small shallot, very finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon of capers, very finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh tarragon
• 1/2 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche
• 1 tablespoon of yoghurt

Preparation:

1. Using an electric mixer, whisk the egg yolk with the sugar until very light and creamy (3-5 minutes).
2. Gradually mix with the mustard, the lemon juice and the vinegar. Whisk vigorously to obtain a thick, creamy mixture.
3. Slowly add the oil. Do not add too much at once and whisk until properly incorporated into the mixture, only then add more. If you add too much at once, the mixture will become unstable and turn into soup.
4. Only once all the oil has been added and you have obtained a nicely stiff, glossy mayonnaise, add the salt. Do not whisk to much anymore at this point.
5. Gradually, fold in the finely chopped cornichons, shallot, capers, herbs and finally, the crème fraîche and the yoghurt.
6. Consume fresh. – Homemade Rémoulade can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.