Due to a drought in Canada followed by a war in Ukraine and a drop in crop yields in France, mustard seeds are in short supply this year, leading to a shortage of the famous spice.
Mustard has been rare on our store shelves for a few weeks. In question is a very bad mustard seed crop in Canada, which accounts for 80% of the market. Then, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to the cessation of trade, while these two countries are respectively the fourth and third most exporting countries.
France is also struggling with harvests as farmers point to bans on certain pesticides that have reduced their yields. However, the French are very big consumers of mustard, it is “one of the most famous condiments in France,” writes the Ministry of Agriculture.
As an accompaniment to fries or meat in sauce, to flavor a dish or as an accompaniment, this product is very widely used in French cuisine. So how do we replace it when it returns to our tables?
Horseradish, a “thicker, fibrous” root
The first product mentioned in France to replace mustard is this root called horseradish, which has a similar taste and spiciness to mustard. Like mustard seed, it comes from the Brassicaceae family.
“It’s a bit of our French wasabi,” explains Alain Trautmann, director of the Alélor food group, on BFM Business. It’s “converted into a spice paste, a bit like mustard, except it’s a bit thicker and more fibrous since the root is quite dry,” he explains.
Wasabi because of its sharpness
In the same style, wasabi is also cited to replace mustard. A key ingredient in Japanese cuisine, this green paste is known for its spiciness, adding flavor to your dishes and sauces instead of mustard. Some recipes also suggest the opposite, in the absence of wasabi, using mustard in sauces for sushi.
If you just want to add a little spiciness to your dishes, you can also add Espelette pepper or harissa.
Yoghurt to bind your vinaigrettes
In addition to its pungent taste, mustard also has a function in the kitchen due to its creamy texture. The Marmiton site therefore proposes replacing its role in a vinaigrette with a yoghurt to end up with a similar texture and a creamy and fresh taste.
Fresh cream is also recommended, as well as Worcestershire sauce (liquid English seasoning with a sweet and sour taste, slightly hot). Marmiton also recommends using tahini sauce (sesame puree) to replace mustard in salad dressings.
Change your habits to accompany meat
BFM Lyon caught up with a Lyon peg concerned about the lack of mustard for his dishes. This restaurant uses no less than 10 kilos of mustard per week to make the sauce for their flagship dish: andouillette. Due to the shortage, it is now the only dish served with this condiment. But there are countless sauces for meat and fish, such as Roquefort sauce, pepper sauce or even barbecue sauce.
“We make our homemade fries. We offered ketchup, mayo and mustard sauces and now we only offer ketchup and mayo,” explains restaurateur Rebecca Guyon on our antenna.
· Pesto or tapenade for your cake bases
If mustard is used in pies, spread on the dough to add a little more flavor to the preparation, it can very well be substituted with tapenade or even pesto to vary depending on the other ingredients. In some cases, cream cheese can also be a solution.
Salomé Vincendon Journalist BFMTV