Crevettes mayonnaise: a grown-up's lunch

est things in life are simple. This reduced version of my beloved assiette de fruits de mer is one of those. Crevettes mayonnaise takes next to no preparation and makes a great lunch or a light supper. It is also served as appetiser on the Normandy coast.

The quality of ingredients here is crucial. I use cooked Greenland shrimp - it is by far the sweetest and most succulent. I bought this batch on the spur of the moment at Waitrose but your local fishmonger should be at least just as good.

The right kind of baguette is crucial to this experience. There are very few bakers outside the Francophone area who understand what a good baguette entails. Crunchy on the outside, fluffy inside - that sounds like a simple principle to follow, but, perhaps, the temptation to bake mud cakes is too strong for many. Your best bet in London would be Paul, if you can afford it, although Marks & Spencer's baguettes are also decent when consumed on the same day.

Now for mayonnaise. Just reading the labels of commercially sold mayonnaise turns me off from food. The amount of chemicals they splice it with is amazing. But there is salvation: mayonnaise, in fact, is super easy to make at home. It takes not more than three minutes to whip your own.

1. Mix yolk of one egg with a teaspoonful of Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
2. Very slowly trickle a glass of odourless vegetable oil into the mixture, whilst whisking it continuously.
3. Add a dash of white wine vinegar and beat it into the mixture. That's it!

A glass of dry white wine to go with this meal will make you feel like a civilised adult. What a feeling!