Why it works: Veal and ham are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 15% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,264 recipes. Both carry 2,4-decadienal, which smells seaweed. The science ↓
Veal Loaf
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the mixture
Chop the veal and ham very finely.
Add the salt, pepper, cracker crumbs, beaten eggs, cream, and hot water, then mix all ingredients together thoroughly.
Bake and serve
Grease a bread pan and pack the mixture into it, pressing down firmly.
Cover and bake in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 1 hour.
Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Serve hot or cold in slices.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Veal + hamtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together3,264 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
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Ham + eggtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,526 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
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Veal + peppertop 19% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,049 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Ham + creamtop 22% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,370 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
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Ham + peppertop 23% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together6,058 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Veal
- Provides the main body of the loaf and its meaty structure.
- Eggs
- Bind the mixture and help it set firmly as it bakes.
- Raw ham
- Adds savory flavor and fat that keeps the loaf moist.
- Soda crackers
- Absorb liquid and add bulk, helping the loaf hold its shape.
- Cream
- Adds moisture and richness, keeping the loaf tender.
The step that matters
Packing the mixture into the pan. Pressing down firmly removes air pockets so the loaf sets dense and sliceable rather than crumbly or full of holes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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