Louisiana Remoulade
Louisiana remoulade is a cold, emulsified sauce built on a foundation of Creole mustard and aromatics. Unlike the milder French version, this iteration relies on the sharp bite of whole-grain mustard, plenty of garlic, and a heavy hand of herbs to provide a pungent, bracing contrast to fried seafood or boiled shellfish.
The balance of acidity is non-negotiable.
This sauce needs to rest for at least an hour to allow the dry spices and aromatics to hydrate. If you serve it immediately, the texture will feel disjointed and the flavor will be one-dimensional.
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Glass jar with lid
What goes in.
- 1 cupmayonnaise
- 1/4 cupCreole mustard
- 1 tbspfresh lemon juice
- 1 tbspfresh parsley, finely minced
- 1 tsppaprika
- 1 tspgarlic, grated or pressed
- 1 tsphot sauce
- 1/2 tspWorcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tspcayenne pepper
Forcing the spices to bloom
Whisk your dry spices and garlic into the lemon juice and hot sauce before adding the mayonnaise. This creates a concentrated paste that distributes evenly through the fat rather than clumping.
The method.
Mix the base
In a medium bowl, combine the lemon juice, Creole mustard, garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire, paprika, and cayenne. Whisk until the spices are fully dissolved into the liquid.
Fold in the mayonnaise
Add the mayonnaise to the bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together until the color is a consistent, pale orange hue.
Add fresh herbs
Gently stir in the minced parsley. Do not overmix, as you want the parsley to remain distinct rather than coloring the entire sauce green.
Chill and set
Transfer the mixture to a glass jar. Seal and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes before serving.
Other turns to take.
Anchovy-forward
Mash two oil-packed anchovy fillets into a paste and add them during the first step for a deep, salty complexity.
Caper-heavy
Fold in two tablespoons of finely chopped capers just before serving to add a briny texture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a high-quality mayonnaise; the quality of your base fat dictates the final mouthfeel.
If the sauce feels too thick after chilling, add a half-teaspoon of water or extra lemon juice to loosen it.
Store in the coldest part of your refrigerator for up to one week.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use yellow mustard if I cannot find Creole mustard?
Do not substitute yellow mustard, as it lacks the necessary texture and depth. If Creole mustard is unavailable, use a mixture of Dijon and whole-grain mustard.
Why is my sauce watery?
You likely added too much lemon juice or used a mayonnaise substitute that does not contain enough egg yolk. Stick to full-fat, oil-based mayonnaise.