Why it works: Parsley and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Leeks and Potato Soup
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wash and chop the leeks, discarding the tough green leaves but using as much of the green part as possible; peel and chop the potato.
Make the soup
Cook these very gently in the butter together with the bay leaf, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, but do not let them brown.
Add the water and cook gently for about 30 minutes, then sieve or liquidise.
Return to the pan, add the cream, parsley and seasoning, but do not let it boil.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 8 of 9 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 8 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 1 medium (173g) baked | 161 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
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.
-
Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Leek + parsleytop 4% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together759 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Potato + parsleytop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,855 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Leek + potatotop 6% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together30 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
-
Butter + creamtop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together41,516 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Leeks
- Provide the main flavour and body of the soup as they soften into the liquid.
- Potato
- Starch that thickens the soup and gives it a smooth, creamy texture when blended.
- Butter
- Fat that softens the vegetables gently and carries flavour.
- Single cream
- Adds richness and a silky mouthfeel to the finished soup.
The step that matters
Return to the pan, add the cream, parsley and seasoning, but do not let it boil.. Cream can curdle or separate when it boils, so it should be heated gently once it is added to the soup.
Swap the leek
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (potato, butter, cream, parsley, pepper):
- Carrotfits about as well
- Chivefits about as well
- Spinachfits about as well
- Leekthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against potato, butter, cream, parsley, pepper. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“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.
You might also like
Potato Croquettes255 recipes
Potato Rolls78 recipes
Potato Chips53 recipes
Sweet Potato Croquettes53 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.