Frietjes Met Vegan Mayonnaise
The one-week Belgian Cuisine re-invention challenge continues. Day 2: one of the most common snacks or must side dishes in Belgium: French Fries with mayonnaise. The veganizing challenge lies here in the second of the two parts of this dish: the mayonnaise! Oven baked French Fries are simple to make. And never change when you change from meat- to plant-based diet. Other than the mayonnaise. Well, this IS a challenge.
A fine mayonnaise has splendid flavor and this softness of a creamy, milky white looking texture. So we spent two days experimenting, and honestly, I NEVER had such a bad fail in the kitchen than starting with my first vegan mayonnaise … It was just disgusting. The reason was that we chose the wrong oil. The right choice of oil is SO important if you make vegan mayonnaise! As we only had extra native and some very low quality frying olive oil at home, the mayonnaise turned out bitter. So we went to the grocery store to buy sunflower seed oil. And wow. Already this changed the whole experience! Afterall, we are happy to be able to present you a fine vegan version of this classics today. Not too heavy, creamy, fluffy and soft on the palate. Refined with some original Dijon mustard, this is really a nice dip for the Frietjes.
Ingredients for the Vegan Mayonnaise:
- Soy milk – this is the liquid and protein basis. I haven’t tried with other plant milks. They might either add too much sweetness or lack of protein for the foaming process to happen.
- Sunflower oil – best one with neutral flavor. Normally I encourage to use products that are as natural as possible. In this case I have to divert from my standards for the sake of a good mayonnaise. Organic Sunflower oil has a very specific flavor. So you might want to buy a refined one to make this mayonnaise. Some use canola oil instead.
- Mustard – please use a good Dijon mustard. The quality of mustard will influence the overall flavor of the mayonnaise.
- Lemon juice – it is not really necessary for the mayonnaise to work out well. This is why I recommend to first try and see if your very own mayonnaise expectation cries for some more sourness, before adding this 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Salt – try to use only a tiny bit. I recommend 1 to maximum 2 pinches of salt.
Friejtes Met Vegan Mayonnaise
Equipment
- 1 food processor or hand mixer
Ingredients
For the vegan mayonnaise:
- 70 ml soy milk
- 170 ml neutral sunflower oil or canola oil
- 1,5 tsp plant butter
- 1-1,5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 pinches salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar optional
For the Frietjes (French Fries)
- 8 large potatos starchy type (for mashed potatos)
- olive oil
- sea salt
Instructions
Prepare all ingredients for the mayonnaise
- Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to help the emulsification process.
Make the mayonnaise
- In a saucepan, melt the butter, take off the heat and set aside to cool down.
- Pour the soy milk into a high-speed blender, or a measuring cup using an immersion blender or hand mixer.
- With the blender running on a medium speed, slowly drizzle the sunflower oil into the mixture. Pour the oil in a thin, steady stream. This gradual addition is crucial for the emulsification process, which will thicken the mixture into a creamy mayonnaise!
- In the same way, add the melted butter.
- Once all the oil is incorporated and the mixture has thickened, add the mustard and a pinch of salt. Blend briefly, then taste. Add some lemon juice if a tangier flavor is desired or one more pinch of salt for a saltier taste.
- Transfer the vegan mayonnaise to a clean jar or container and place in the fridge to thicken.
Prepare the Frietjes
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. If you only have one, you place one batch first into the oven and bake the second batch later. Or you use the rack instead.
- Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into evenly sized sticks, about 0,5 to 1 cm thick.
- Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl. If you prefer them crispy, cover them with cold water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes to remove excess starch, which helps them crisp up in the oven. Otherwise skip this step (traditional Belgian French Fries are a bit softer).
- Drain the potatoes and pat them dry thoroughly with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Transfer the dried potatoes to a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and any optional seasonings you like. Toss well to ensure all the fries are evenly coated.
Bake the Frietjes
- Spread the potato sticks out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Make sure they are not crowded or overlapping to allow for even baking.
- Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes, flipping the fries halfway through baking, until they are golden brown and crispy.If the fries are not crispy enough, you can bake them for an additional 5-10 minutes, checking frequently to prevent burning.
- Serve your Frietjes with the homemade mayonnaise and a nice green salad.