The Fruit Preserve Jeff Mauro Stirs Into Mayo For A Surprisingly Zesty Twist

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Food Network star and host of the Emmy-nominated show "Sandwich King," Jeff Mauro knows a thing or two about condiments. After all, they can make or break a sandwich. And while mayo is a quintessential condiment that everything from sandwiches to salad dressings will benefit from, Mauro has come up with an unlikely pairing.

On an episode of "Sandwich King," Mauro adds raspberry preserves to mayo for a sweet and zesty twist. He shares an easy recipe for raspberry mayo on Food Network's website that blends a cup of good-quality store-bought mayo like our favorite brand, Duke's mayonnaise, with a tablespoon each of raspberry preserves and lemon juice, finishing the mix off with lemon zest and freshly ground black pepper. Raspberry preserves are both tart and sweet, while the lemon juice and zest accentuate the fruity flavor with their own citrusy brightness. A sweet and tart blend of berry and citrus is a great way to cut through the richness of mayonnaise, while the fresh ground pepper provides a spicy bite that brings mayonnaise back into savory territory.

Since both grapefruit and cranberry sauce are amongst the many ways we've thought to upgrade store-bought mayo, a citrusy and fruity raspberry-lemon mayo is bound to be delicious. Mauro spreads the raspberry mayo over a buttermilk biscuit that he pairs with a German chicken schnitzel dinner. But, it'll also taste delicious on many other sandwiches as well as salads.

If biscuits and schnitzel are too ambitious, you can try raspberry mayo on simpler sandwiches. Since berry jam is a part of recipes like the Monte Cristo sandwich and the Cuban Elena Ruz sandwich, you know raspberry mayo will taste delicious slathered into a turkey or ham sandwich with Swiss cheese. Fruit and cheese is a classic pairing, so you could try spreading the raspberry mayo into a grilled cheese sandwich with Gruyere, cheddar, and mozzarella. Raspberry mayo would be a great upgrade to a classic BLT sandwich or a chicken wrap with avocado, pickled onions, and mozzarella. Use raspberry mayo as a spread for a fancy breakfast toast to top with a drizzle of spicy and savory chili oil like this Chingona salsa macha, a scrambled egg, and scallions.

Use raspberry mayo instead of regular mayo to make this apple and pecan chicken salad recipe. It'd also make a great foundation for a fruity salad dressing to dress an ambrosia salad or even a coleslaw. It'd bring a fruity zestiness to temper the bitterness of cabbage and other slaw greens like kale. You can also use it as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers, fries, or crab cakes. Raspberry mayo doesn't just require a high-quality mayo, but you should also use high-quality preserves like Bon Maman's raspberry preserves.