Concocting your own custom-made condiment couldn't be easier – the fiery or fruity possibilities are endless
There are as many mustard recipes as mustard lovers. At its simplest, it is just finely ground mustard seeds mixed with liquid. You'll know this if you've ever used Colman's iconic Original English mustard powder. But mustard can also accommodate salt, pepper, honey, spices, herbs and much more. One Roman recipe called for pepper, caraway, lovage, grilled coriander seeds, dill, celery, thyme, oregano, onion, honey, fish sauce and oil. It was – Obelix would have approved – to be used as a glaze for boar.
As for the liquid that binds everything, this can be wine, grape juice, vinegar, lemon juice, verjus … The choice will determine how fierce the mustard will be and how quickly it will lose its bite. Mustard made with water, for example, ages less gracefully than that made with vinegar.
This is just one basic recipe for 200-250g of mustard. Play around with it and see what works for you.
A few days before you want to use your mustard, take 100g yellow mustard seeds (these are milder than the darker versions) and soak them for 24-48 hours in 150ml cider vinegar and 100ml cold water. This stage is essential, as dry seeds are almost impossible to process. The seeds will swell up quite a lot, so make sure there's plenty of room in the container, but don't seal it.
Next, pour the seeds and any unabsorbed liquid into a food processor (a small one if possible) and set it turning at whatever speed does the best job of breaking the seeds up. You'll probably have to vary this as you go along. Within a couple of minutes you should have a fine paste. If you like your mustard on the coarse side, you can skip the next sentence. Otherwise, use a spoon or spatula to push the paste through a fine metal sieve and discard the husks that are left behind.
If the mixture is a little sloppy, stir in 1-3 tsp flour. Add a little sea salt and, if you like your mustard to have a touch of sweetness, up to 2 tbsp honey. Store in an airtight jar, ideally in the fridge. The mustard will be at its best after couple of days. If you like how it turned out, try mixing in some fresh or dried herbs next time. Tarragon works well.
Phil Daoust is a food writer based in England and France. Twitter: @philxdaoust
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