Mayonesa Texana – Chipotle/Yerbaniz Mayonnaise

This mayonnaise has a pinkish color from chipotles and a robust aroma that comes from yerbaniz, an herb that is sometimes called Mexican mint marigold.  I think “Mayonesa Texana” is an apt name because the chipotle and yerbaniz together give it a Texas Mexican profile.Southern Mexico and Guatemala are the birthplace of yerbaniz, but today it is naturalized all across Texas.  In our family we used it to make tea and cure colds, colic, and other stomach ailments. It goes great with fish, so I often serve this mayo with crab cakes or with fried fish.  I’ve been hearing that yerbaniz is hard to find in stores, so I recommend that you do what I do and buy a little plant (they are sold as annual flowers in nurseries) and let it go wild in your garden.  The aroma is wonderful.

If you are in Houston, you can find it at our Farmers Markets.  This is a bunch sold by “Plant It Forward,” one of Houston’s finest farming, training and marketing organizations.

Recipe (yields one cup)
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
3 chipotle chiles in adobo (canned)
3 teaspoons fresh yerbaniz, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon white onion
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

Method
Place all of the ingredients, except the yerbaniz, in a blender and blend until all the ingredients form a smooth purée.  Then add the chopped yerbaniz and pulse for just a few seconds, just enough to break down the herb, but still have some visible flecks of the green yerbaniz.

Enjoy!  It’s both delicious and salutary.