Why it works: Cucumber and onion match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 6,050 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
German Creamed Cucumbers
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the cucumbers
Salt the cucumbers and onions throughout and place them in a large bowl. Place a plate that fits inside the bowl on top of them.
Let stand in the refrigerator for 2 or more hours.
Make the creamed dressing
When the time is up, drain the water from the cucumbers and onions. Add the sour cream, half‑and‑half, vinegar, and a tb more of salt if desired.
If you do not like it to be too soupy, you can decrease the amounts of the half‑and‑half and sour cream by half or more, depending on your taste.
Mix thoroughly. Place in the refrigerator for another half hour to an hour to chill the ingredients and serve.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Yogurt | 170g plain Greek | 100 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 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.
-
Cucumber + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together6,050 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Cucumber + vinegartop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,734 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyl acetate (fruit).
-
Onion + vinegartop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together18,226 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
-
Onion + creamtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together10,827 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonanone (fruity, floral).
-
Cream + vinegartop 25% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,064 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Onion and cream barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 10,827 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cucumbers
- Provide the main crisp body; salting draws out their water so the dish stays firmer.
- Sour cream
- Adds tang and a thick, creamy body to the dressing.
- Half-and-half
- Thins the sour cream and adds mild richness and a smoother texture.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the dressing and balances the cream.
- Onion
- Adds sharp aroma and flavor that mellows during chilling.
The step that matters
Draining the salted cucumbers and onions. Salt draws water out of the vegetables; if they are not drained well, that liquid thins the cream and makes the dish soupy, so drain thoroughly before adding the dressing.
Swap the cucumber
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (onion, cream, vinegar):
- Mustardfits better
- Horseradishfits about as well
- Potatofits about as well
- Cucumberthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against onion, cream, vinegar. 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.
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