DIY Condiments #2: Mustard

I'll bet you thought I had forgotten all about my do-it-yourself condiments project. I wouldn't blame you if you had, since the last (and only) condiment I made and wrote about was that fabulous Worcestershire Sauce back in April. Even I am shocked at how long a gap that is between then and now.

But I had not forgotten. I just got a little sidetracked. And then last month I decided to tackle the big yellow monster.

Which turned out to be a little yellow snap. Making mustard is just about the easiest thing I have ever made. The hardest part about it is waiting the two days for the seeds to soak.

For my first attempt, I decided to keep it simple and used the basic recipe from Gourmet magazine. :sigh: I feel compelled to :sigh: whenever I think of Gourmet magazine, now that it is gone. I miss it.

OK, I'm over it. And Bon Appetit almost fills the gap. Almost. It's just that they used to play so well off of each other. It's like Roger Ebert talking to himself about movies (which he had pretty much done since Gene Siskel died).

Hmmm. Where was I? Oh yes, mustard. Like I said, this is super easy. The ingredients are so simple that I am thinking this recipe can serve as the baseline, to which any alterations can be made to create completely new flavors. Simply change the vinegar, replace with wine, add other herbs or spices, and you can have a completely new condiment every time.

I wouldn't suggest you slather this on your hot dogs or anything as outrageous as that - conventional yellow mustard has its place after all - but for everything else this is a perfect - tart, spicy, and a little sweet. It makes a wonderful vinaigrette and is great for marinades as well.

I did find it to be a little too tart for my taste, so I added an extra teaspoon (all right, maybe two) of sugar. That's the beauty of this recipe. Once it's done, you simply adjust the seasonings until you get the right flavor for your palate.

Home Cookin Chapter: Untried Recipes

HOMEMADE MUSTARD
Makes about 1-1/2 cups

1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
1-1/4 tsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt

Soak mustard seeds in vinegar and water at room temperature 2 days. (If seeds are not submerged, add just enough additional water to cover.)

Puree mixture in a food processor with sugar and 1-1/2 tsp salt until almost smooth, about 2 minutes. Thin to desired consistency with additional water. Adjust salt and sugar to taste.

Mustard keeps, chilled, 1 month.

from Gourmet Magazine, June 2009

Exported from Home Cookin 6.46 (www.mountain-software.com)