It’s the story of a disappearing dish, a pillar of our bistros which is reborn from its ashes after too often playing second fiddle on the slates. Too simple, too fatty, too often associated with our bad canteen memories, the egg and mayo seemed to have been sucked into a spatial-culinary fault with its unfortunate counterparts, mixed vegetables, aspic, leek vinaigrette and other head cheese… Before a few aficionados decide to bring it up to date.
First in France where, since 2018, it has had its annual world championship organized by the Association for the Protection of Egg Mayonnaise (A.S.O.M.). But also here in New York where super creative chefs have decided to twist it to make their compatriots swallow it. “It’s very good news that there is interest in egg-mayonnaise on the other side of the Atlantic, welcomes Pierre-Yves Chupin, director of the Lebey guide and ASOM. It is an emblem of our heritage. And that means that French cuisine continues to shine abroad! Moreover, I invite all New York chefs to come and compete against the French during the 2024 edition of our championship. »
French cuisine is back
Benefiting from the strong comeback of French cuisine in New York, egg and mayo is appearing on the menus of more and more establishments claiming to be “brasseries”. The French Diner, Libertine, Frenchette in Manhattan. The Four Horsemen, The Crocodile and Sailor in Brooklyn, among others. More surprisingly, these French restaurants and bistros are all run by… American chefs! How to explain this “eggory” among the Yankees? “It is an extremely versatile dish, which lends itself very well to the imagination of cooks. It only requires one inexpensive ingredient in its basic version and it can be made all year round without seasonal constraints. It is therefore very accessible in every sense of the word,” Pierre-Yves Chupin explains again.
A blank page to express your creativity
A bit like a blank page where all fantasies are allowed. As evidenced by the so-Instagrammable marbled version of the chef The Four Horsemen in Brooklyn. Nick Curtola revisits it with squid ink mayonnaise, fava beans and a touch of caviar. Obviously, we are far from the half-spheres placed nonchalantly on a bed of lettuce and flanked by a tablespoon of industrial mayo. And that’s also what pleases.
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A recipe as simple as cabbage?
Chez Libertinethe eggs are draped in a pale yellow velvet, a few stalks of chives for the herbaceous side, all enhanced with a salty spray provided by the trout eggs which explode in the mouth. “It’s the first dish I put on the menu. It perfectly matched the spirit of the place I wanted to open. Classic and simple. The most important thing here was the texture of the mayonnaise that covers the egg to counterbalance its density. It’s a thick aioli that I emulsify with water until I obtain this result”explains Max Mackinnon, head of the West Village establishment.
Do you still think the recipe is stupid? Nope. A good egg and mayo is a precision business. A dish constantly in balance, which balances between nostalgia and modernity, housewife cooking and culinary talent. For the sauce to set, basic actions will reveal the talent of the cook. Concretely ? “A good egg-mayonnaise is above all about perfect cooking. 8 minutes 20 seconds exactly. The yolk should still be creamy and melting. The seasoning must be precise. Mayonnaise made with a neutral oil, preferably should be spiced up with a dash of lemon or very good vinegar.explains Pierre-Yves Chupin.
Libertine Crédit’s revisited eggs and mayo. © Evan Sung
Americans, not all fans
What do Americans think? At the house of Frenchette, egg-mayo is a best-seller. However, not to be placed between all palates. As Ellen Hunter testifies, the foodie behind the Instagram account @thestarcrawl. “I admit, I tried my first egg-mayo last week at Frenchette. And it excited me a lot, especially in the truffled version. When the dish arrived, I was salivating, the generosity of the sauce, the shavings of truffle, the yolk still soft when cut… And then, at the first bite, I knew that it was not for me. Too rich. Almost sickening.” The influencer then decides to launch a survey among her followers (mostly American). “45% love it. 45% hate it. 10% have never tested.”
Truffle mayo eggs from Frenchette. © thestarcrawl
Trendy indeed, the egg and mayo is divisive and is not yet an egg-cumenical appetizer…
2024-04-04 13:33:58
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