Chinoiserie Mayonnaise & A Favorite Recipe

Standard Mayonnaise Ingredients

Are there other mayonnaise aficionados out there? I love chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad, shrimp salad, crab salad, and a lobster roll, of course. A great mayonnaise makes all the difference in the world. And of course mayo on sandwiches as well.

I was brought up on Hellmann's. Miracle Whip was thankfully not allowed in the house but then it is no more mayonnaise than Cool Whip is whipped cream.

Several years back I started using Trader Joe's Organic Mayonnaise which is quite delicious as well as organic. It’s made for TJ using expeller pressed organic soybean oil, organic whole eggs, and without any added sweeteners.

Trader Joe's Organic Mayonnaise

Since moving to Florida, I have embraced Duke's Mayonnaise which is very Southern. And no artificial colors or flavors and no sugar added. It is real mayonnaise and delicious. It has a twang! (It uses apple cider vinegar in lieu of white vinegar). And more egg yolks than other mayo. It is used in regional favorites such as coleslaw, tomato sandwiches, deviled eggs, pimento cheese, and potato salad.

In 1917, Eugenia Duke and her husband and daughter moved to Greenville, South Carolina. Eugenia would quickly become an entrepreneur, launching Duke's Sandwich Company, where she sold sandwiches featuring her homemade mayonnaise recipe to soldiers for 10 cents per sandwich.

Duke's use to be a Southern thing, but you can now find it throughout the country.

Duke's Mayonnaise

A recent addition to my mayonnaise collection is Kewpie. It is pronounced kyoo pee. It is a Japanese mayonnaise. So it counts for me as chinoiserie mayonnaise - LOL.

It has a very unique unami flavor. It is made with rice wine vinegar. It is the number one selling mayonnaise in Japan. In blind tests in this country, it has consistently won first place over all competitors. It has become a cult mayonnaise, adored by chefs and gourmet cooks. Count me in.

Kewpie Mayonnaise

There are three versions of Kewpie - one made in Japan, another made in the United States, and a third made in the United States for Costco. And all three have different ingredients. The one made in Japan is shown above and the one you want. Click the link to order it at a great price. The American versions are not the same taste. This is the American version below with quite different ingredients including water and sugar. It tastes watered down and does not have the same distinctive flavor.

American version of Kewpie

I typically use half and half Duke's and Kewpie in my recipes. Here is my absolute favorite chicken salad recipe from interior design, entertaining, and style icon (I am a huge fan) Danielle Rollins.

M/Y GRACE: BOAT RECIPE SERIES

Danielle’s Chicken Salad 

 INGREDIENTS

1 pound cooked chicken breast (TIME SAVING TIP: I buy rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and use!)

3/4 cup mayonnaise (TIP: I use a mixture of Dukes Mayonnaise & Japanese Kewpie Mayonnaise)

1 cup of very finely minced celery

3/4 tablespoons very finely minced onion

1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (TIP: I like using a more gourmet blend for added flavor)

Pinch of finely ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Shred chicken breast by hand using a fork. Note: Shredded chicken rather than diced chicken pieces will give the chicken salad a light and airy texture. Place shredded chicken in bowl.

2. Add in all the other ingredients. Stir by hand to mix well.

3. Serve over lettuce leaves or in sandwiches. 

I make this all the time at CCC and it is so fast and so delicious. Do you know how to shred an entire rotisserie chicken for chicken salad in minutes with ZERO mess?

To easily shred a rotisserie chicken, place the warm chicken in a gallon-sized zip-top bag and gently massage it to separate the meat from the bones. This "1-Minute" hack allows for quick and easy shredding, especially if the chicken is warm.

The Ziplock Bag Hack: 

Warm the chicken:

If the chicken is cold, it may be easier to warm it slightly in the microwave. 

Bag it:

Place the entire chicken (after removing any trussing) into a gallon-sized zip-top bag. 

Massage it:

Seal the bag and gently massage the chicken, pressing down on it to separate the meat from the bones. 

Enjoy:

Once the meat is mostly separated, you can use your hands to complete the shredding process. Discard the skin and bones and such.

I typically use the Costco or Publix rotisserie chickens. Both are wonderful. I made this recipe yesterday. Don't eliminate any of the "weird" ingredients like the garlic salt and brown sugar or the Kewpie mayo. The flavors all meld together and it is really fabulous.