IN the Kitchen

by Lorin Gaudin

Fresh Basil Mayonnaise for “Creole” Tomato Season

EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME, New Orleans food fanatics excitedly await the appearance of “Creole” tomatoes at markets and stores. Yes, we could get wrapped up in the chatter about what is a “Creole” tomato: Is it a special variety? Must a “creole tomato,” be vine-ripened and grown in alluvial (mineral rich river deposit) soil? And of course, the claim that only tomatoes grown in St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes are truly “Creole” tomatoes. The short answers are “No”; “I think so”; and “Sure, if you insist.” Frankly, I eat tomatoes year ‘round, though locally grown tomatoes seem to taste better in season - the early summer months. Deny it if you will, but there is a special flavor to St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish-grown “Creole” tomatoes: warm, sweet, and slightly acidic - a comforting, homey scent and taste reminiscent of the way our heavy, humid summer airs smells.

Any local worth their salt has eaten a “Creole” tomato sandwich over the sink. It’s practically a rite of passage. My mother-in-law taught me to eat tomato sandwiches built on squishy white Bunny Bread, slathered with Blue Plate mayonnaise, sprinkled with salt and a lot of black pepper. I still eat them just that way.

However, a recently re-emerging trend for Japanese convenience store sandwiches called “sandoitchi” or “sando,” had me reimagining and glamming-up the basic tomato sandwich. Using thick cut “Texas Toast” bread slices (no, I did not make my own “shokupan,” the slightly sweet Japanese white loaf bread) from the grocery store, ripe “Creole” tomatoes, fresh basil leaves and homemade mayonnaise (with love and respect to beloved commercial mayos, but I hard pass on soybean oil), I put together a Creole Tomato and Basil “sando.” Yes, my sandos have the crusts removed and the bread is not toasted, though toasted bread with intact crust, is also perfectly lovely and trendy.

2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 ½ teaspoons tablespoon Dijon mustard ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed ½ teaspoon minced garlic or onion 1 teaspoon Redmond Real Salt 1 ½ cups extra light olive oil, at room temperature

Place the egg yolks, mustard, basil, minced garlic (or onion), and salt, in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process for about 20 seconds, until smooth. With the processor running, slowly pour in the oil through the tube to make a thick emulsion. Place emulsion in a jar and stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. Mayonnaise is a condiment and it should be well seasoned. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use; it will keep for up to a week. *Note: To make plain mayonnaise, simply omit the basil.