Fridge Door Project - Dijon Mustard

I promised a recipe for dijon mustard "later this week" and then I never delivered. Settling into my blog groove is tricky. I'm still working to find weekday time for blogging. My favorite blogs are the ones from which I know what to expect. If I know I can expect a post 2-3 times a week or one per weekday or whatever, I'm happy. It's the consistency that does it for me. My least favorite blogs are the ones where people go off the radar for periods of time, come back strong with several posts, then disappear again. They're like the friend that cancels on your coffee date 50% of the time. Not the end of the world, but disappointing. I do not want to be one of my least favorite blogs. So hang with me. I'm figuring this whole thing out.

Now, on to mustard! Hurrah! I chose to start the FDP with dijon mustard for two simple reasons. 1) We ran out. 2) I already had mustard seeds in the pantry. If you've never made a mustard, they're not as hard as you might think. It might take a few batches to figure out the ingredient balance to match it to your personal taste. Mustard takes a few days or weeks for the flavor to develop so you can't necessarily taste it while you're making it and adjust seasonings then. But! The good news is that while you're finding your perfect mustard combo you still have a fridge of tasty (just not perfect) mustard to enjoy in the meantime. And you can easily impress people by serving it, causing them to think you're a culinary genius.

Do you want to use 15 minutes of your life to impress people into thinking you're a culinary genius? Here's what you'll need:

white wine, safflower oil, onion, mustard power, garlic

All ready? Okay, here we go!

First things first, chop up one onion and 3 cloves of garlic. Measure out your mustard powder (1 cup) and wine (2 cups) so that they're ready later. (Note in the first picture that I was a little short on mustard powder. I adjusted all my other ingredients accordingly.)

Combine the wine, onions, and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Let them simmer about 5 minutes and then pour through a strainer to pull the solids out. Mash the onions and garlic in the strainer with your spoon a bit to make sure you squeeze as much flavor out as you can.

Return the liquid to the saucepan and whisk in the mustard powder a little bit at a time until combined. Whisk in 2 tsp. salt and 1 Tbsp. of oil. (I prefer safflower oil but vegetable or canola oil will work if that's what you use.) Now continue stirring over heat until it's thickened up.

Once it's thickened up a bit, pour it into a jar. Let it sit out on the counter overnight to cool down then put it in the fridge door. The mustard needs time for the flavor to develop so hold off on using it for about two weeks. (Because mustard comes with a wait time, remember not to wait until you've completely run out to make another batch!) One processed store-bought item has now been replaced! 

Homemade Dijon Mustard

Remember, the quality of your final product is only as good as the ingredients you put in it. If you have the ability, spend a few extra dollars for better wine and mustard powder. We're not talking top of the line, just something with a slight better flavor than the cheapest stuff available. If not (and, trust me, I don't always have the ability to spend a little extra either) your homemade mustard is still going to be better than store-bought! 

2 c. dry white wine

1 c. mustard powder

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp safflower oil (vegetable or canola will work)

2 tsp salt

Combine the wine, onion, and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to strain out the solids. Return the liquid to the pot and whisk in the mustard powder slowly, until combined. Stir in the oil and salt. Simmer until the mixture thickens. Transfer to a jar and allow to cool on the counter overnight. Keep it in the fridge and allow the mustard flavors to develop for two weeks before using.

After the two weeks has passed, taste the mustard. Is it perfect for you? Great! Do you want more tang? Make a note to add a little more powder next time. Or salt. Or onion and garlic. Or whatever you think it needs more of. Continue doing this for your next few batches and eventually you will have created a perfect-for-you dijon mustard suited to your own individual taste.