mayonnaise and dressings
The journey to discover ingredients that have alternative creaming and emulsifying properties to eggs and dairy cream, has been one of the most fascinating for me as a chef. Nuts and seeds, particularly hemp, provided the solutions.
There are two main ways to finely grind your whole hemp seeds.
One: By adding the soaked whole seed to a thickened liquid in the blender, as described in Energy shakes and smoothies. The advantage being, that soaking the seeds overnight starts the first stages of germination, so nutritionally better for us.
Two: The dry seed put through a coffee or seed grinder. This method produces a finer product, so perhaps better for mayonnaise and dressings. If using the shelled hemp seed you can omit the whole seed, but I like the combination of the two: one nutty and crunchy, the other creamy.
As the shelled hemp seed became available it became clear to me that it puts hemp, in the major league for the catering industry as a cream substitute with amazing potential!
Once ground or blended with liquid, shelled hemp seed becomes the most delectable cream outside the dairy business. In its simplest form added to basic vinaigrette and blended, turns it into a beautiful French cream dressing. Not high calorie, it is positively nutritious and delicious!
I hope these ideas will set your imagination going and you will have as much fun as I have with them. To discover how these principles relate to creating delicious egg and dairy-cream free Quiches and Tarts, join the FoodTalk Forum.
Lemon and Hemp Dressing or Mayonnaise
A combination of hemp and sunflower seeds with tahini and mustard, gives a base for a mayonnaise that is so stable it can be thinned down with water. This means you only require a small amount of oil, making it healthier for you.
If you have sunflower seeds sprouting you can use them in this recipe, adding a few handfuls of sprouts turns this mayonnaise into a very healthy dip.
Ingredients
Enough for 4 people, but will keep, covered in the fridge for several days.
- 50grams Sunflower seeds~ soaked or sprouted
- 1 dessert spoon each tahini and Dijon mustard
- 50 ml cider vinegar
- 100ml water for a dressing or 50ml for mayonnaise
- 50ml hemp oil
- 20-30grams shelled
- 30-50 grams whole hemp seeds finely ground
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Seasoning: salt and pepper
Method
- Grind the hemp seed in a coffee or seed grinder.
- Place the drained sunflower seeds in the blender with the tahini, mustard, vinegar, lemon and a third of the water. Add a little seasoning and pulse for a few seconds.
- Add the ground and shelled hemp seeds and continue blending for up to 30 seconds.
- Then with the blender running, slowly pour in the oil and the remaining water.
- Thin it down as required, check seasoning and consistency, and scrape into suitable container for use.
Variations:
Balsamic vinegar, honey and seeded mustard : Replace the cider vinegar with balsamic, the Dijon with seeded, or combination of both and add 1 –2 dessertspoons of honey.
Garlic mayonnaise and herb mayonnaise : 2-3 cloves of garlic added with herbs, i.e. basil or coriander, make healthy variations on old classics.
Shelled Hemp Seed French Cream Dressing
A plain green salad is one of my favourites, particularly with a French dressing. The creamy flavour traditionally comes from the eggs, using shelled hemp seed produces a fantastic alternative that tastes as good and is nutritionally better for you.
You can use a blender or wiz stick to make this dressing.
Ingredients
(enough for 4-6)
- 2 tablespoons of wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 6 tablespoons of olive and/or hemp oil
- 25-50 grams shelled hemp seed
- 1 dessertspoon Dijon mustard
- A little salt and black pepper
- Some fresh herbs e.g. chives, tarragon or fennel or a combination of all three.
Method
- Place the vinegar or lemon juice, oils, shelled seed, mustard and a touch of seasoning in the blender or a jug if using the wiz stick.
- Blend until smooth, it will go thick and creamy. Check seasoning and stir in the fresh herbs.
- Leftovers will keep several days covered in the fridge.