Why it works: Butter and mushroom are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 12,525 recipes. Both carry trans-2-decenal, which smells waxy, orange. The science ↓
Lisbon Steak
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the steaks
Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
Fry steaks, turning them after about 2 minutes. Do not overcook; they will finish cooking later.
Make the sauce
Add cream and mushrooms to the steaks and cook for 5 minutes.
Add brandy and pepper, then simmer over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serve
Serve with mashed potatoes or fries.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Mushroom | 1/2 cup sliced (35g) | 15 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Brandy | 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.
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Butter + mushroomtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,525 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-decenal (waxy, orange).
-
Butter + creamtop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together41,516 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Pepper + mushroomtop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together13,580 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
-
Brandy + mushroomtop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together206 recipes
Shared aroma: guaiacol (smoky, sweet).
-
Cream + mushroomtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,500 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Tenderloin steaks
- Provide the main protein, which cooks quickly and stays tender if not overcooked.
- Heavy cream
- Forms a rich, smooth sauce and adds moisture and body as it simmers.
- Butter
- Fat for frying that browns the steaks and carries flavor into the pan.
- Mushrooms
- Add earthy flavor and a soft texture to the cream sauce.
- Brandy
- Adds aromatic, slightly sweet depth to the sauce as it simmers.
The step that matters
Do not overcook the steaks. The steaks finish cooking in the hot sauce, so pulling them at the right point keeps them tender rather than dry and tough.
“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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