(a little) empowerment and joy.

First things first: Say, “Gribiche.” It is pronounced GREH-beesh, and you should say it with a thick French accent. Why? Because it feels absolutely delightful starting back in your throat and passing out between your lips. Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…

This wonderfully French sounding sauce is a less common cousin of mayonnaise which is how I first came across it. First let me share that homemade mayonnaise is not only delicious but wonderfully empowering. This is like that moment in childhood where you get to pour milk into your cereal all by yourself or choose your own clothes in the morning. There is a simple power in knowing you can whisk together mayonnaise without ever opening a jar. It is a simple joy and one I would love to share.

However, mayonnaise is made with raw egg yolks, and, since I spend most of my time cooking in front of live audiences, taking the risk of serving raw egg dishes always made me nervous. Note that cook with raw egg yolks without a worry at home, largely because I can name the farmer to whom the eggs in my refrigerator once belonged. Health codes, however, make it feel a bit more fraught in public.

So, one day I looked up cooked egg mayonnaise and found sauce Gribiche. While lacking the delicate silkiness of mayonnaise made with raw egg it is still lovely and the addition of chopped egg white, capers, cornichons - the little, sharply-flavored, French pickles and fresh herbs more than makes up for it. Most importantly, I can share this little bit of empowerment and joy with a crowd and without the slightest hesitation.

Asparagus With Sauce Gribiche

Serves 4

This cooked egg mayonnaise balances rich egg yolk and oil with the sharp, savory flavors of capers, cornichons and fresh herbs. The comforting and complex sauce is perfect served over asparagus, roasted waxy potatoes, with fish or cold chicken served outdoors.

Ingredients:

• 2 hardboiled eggs, yolks and whites separated

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1/2 cup neutral oil like sunflower, canola or grapeseed

• 2 tsp lemon juice

• 2 tbs capers, rinsed and chopped

• 2 tbs finely chopped cornichon

• 1 shallot, minced

• 1 tbs minced chives

• 2 tbs minced parsley

• 1 lb asparagus, ends snapped off

Directions:

• Place hardboiled egg yolks in a bowl with mustard. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Mash into a paste.

• Starting a few drops at a time, building up to a fine stream, whisk in oil, followed by lemon juice.

• Finely chop egg whites and fold into sauce along with capers, shallot, chives and parsley.

• Place asparagus in a 12” skillet and cover with water. Set over high heat and cook until asparagus is bright green. Remove to paper towels to drain. Check sauce and season sauce to taste with additional lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set asparagus on a platter or individual plates and serve topped with sauce.

TIP: the egg yolk and mustard mixture is thick and you’ll practically be stirring through the first few drops of oil, but as it lightens keep whisking and you will get a sauce as thick and almost as light as mayonnaise. If the oil separates a bit you can either start with another egg yolk and whisk the sauce bit-by-bit back into it, or just serve it and enjoy the delicious learning experience.