1. It is perfect for dipping asparagus into, or slices of raw vegetables (crudités). It makes a perfect accompaniment to salmon, cold or hot, but it is also utterly sublime served with hard-boiled eggs in a classic egg mayonnaise. It should be stored in a screw-top jar in the bottom of the fridge for no longer than a week.

2. Begin by putting 2 large egg yolks into a 1850 ml bowl.Then add 1 crushed garlic clove (optional) and a heaped teaspoon of French mustard.. Season with a level teaspoon of salt and a few twists of freshly milled pepper, and mix well together.

3. Using an electric whisk in one hand and 275 ml groundnut oil in a jug in the other, add just one drop of oil to the egg mixture, and whisk that in. The mixture will begin to thicken.

4. At that stage, and only then, you can begin to add the oil in larger drops . When it's all in, taste and season with salt and freshly milled black pepper .

5. If you follow these instructions to the letter, you will have a thick, shining, wobbly proper mayonnaise.
Mayonnaise forms the basis for a number of other sauces such as tartare and prawn cocktail sauce.