Grainy Mustard

You’ll be amazed at how easy, cheap, and good homemade mustard is. Plus, you can customize the flavor many ways with minor adjustments; see the list that follows. Make sure, though, to mix yellow mustard seeds with brown or black, or the results will be too harsh. To make a faster—though undeniably sharper and less subtle—mustard, use a spice grinder or coffee mill to grind the mustard seeds into a coarse powder, then slowly stir in the liquids until you get the consistency you want (you might have to add a little more). Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately or keep as you would any mustard.

1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds (about 11/2 ounces)

1/4 cup brown or black mustard seeds (about 11/2 ounces)

1/2 cup red wine or water

1/2 cup sherry vinegar or malt vinegar (or any vinegar with at least 5 percent acidity )

Pinch salt

• Put all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid or other sealed glass or ceramic container. (Don’t use metal; it will corrode.) Shake or stir, then set aside to soak for a day or two.
• Put the mixture in a blender and purée for several minutes to grind, adding a little extra water as needed to keep the machine running. Stop and scrape the sides down once or twice and repeat. You’ll never get the mustard as smooth as Dijon, but you can control the coarseness by how long you blend. Taste and add more salt if you like.
• Return the mustard to the container and cover tightly. Store in a cool, dark place (or refrigerate) for up to several months. The mustard will be quite sharp at first, but it will thicken and mellow with time

MAKES: 11/2 cups

TIME: 15 minutes, plus a day or two to soak the seeds