The Condiment Bobby Flay Doubles Down On To Make A Flavor-Filled Side Dish

Celebrity chefs like Food Network star Bobby Flay are usually willing to give away their secrets for how to get the perfect flavor and texture in a dish. Some of the best flavors come from combining unconventional ingredients, and sometimes, you need two varieties of the same thing to get just the right taste and mouthfeel. When Flay makes his mustard aioli, which is similar to a Dijonnaise-style sauce, he doesn't just use one type of mustard. Rather, his recipe for mustard aioli grilled potatoes includes both Dijon and whole-grain mustard because each version of this spicy condiment adds two different things to the dish.

"You get the spiciness from the Dijon mustard. You get that little pop and that texture from the whole grain mustard. It's really nice," Flay says in a YouTube clip from his Food Network show, "Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction." Mustard has a strong flavor, so the trick is to balance it out with rich mayonnaise, which cuts into that spice while still giving that sharp, pungent flavor.

Aioli is traditionally made from an emulsified blend of oil and garlic, but many people — including Flay — have come to refer to mayonnaise-based sauces as aioli sauces, too. When Flay wants a burst of flavor, he whips up his mustard aioli, and in addition to the Dijon and whole ground mustard, he adds a heaping pile of mayonnaise, plus a little honey to add a hint of sweet contrast to the tangy sauce.

Dijon mustard got its name from the city where it was born: Dijon, France. This mustard sauce is made from a blend of white wine and brown or black mustard seeds, giving it a sharper flavor than other mustard condiments. Whole grain mustard, on the other hand, is a mustard sauce that's made from partially ground seeds. The result is a grainier texture compared to the smoothness of Dijon. When you bite into an aioli made with whole-grain mustard, you'll be able to feel the individual seeds, giving it a much different mouthfeel than Dijon. When paired together, it creates a best-of-both-worlds aioli.