Why it works: Mustard and shallot match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 859 recipes. Both carry eucalyptol, which smells eucalyptus, herbal. The science ↓
Julia Child's Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Directions
Beat vinegar, salt, and mustard in a bowl until dissolved, then beat in the oil and seasonings.
Alternatively, put all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake vigorously to blend.
Dip a piece of lettuce into the dressing and taste.
Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 11 of 12 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 11 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Wine | 2 tbsp cooking wine (30ml) | 25 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Mustard | 1 tsp (5g) yellow | 3 |
| Tarragon | 1 tsp dried (0.5g) | 2 |
| Chive | 1 tbsp (3g) | 1 |
| Basil | 5 leaves fresh (2.5g) | 1 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Salad | 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.
-
Mustard + shallottop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together859 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Mustard + olivetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together5,950 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Olive + shallottop 9% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,659 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Mustard + peppertop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together15,430 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Olive + peppertop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together30,263 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
- Wine vinegar or lemon juice
- Provides the sharp acidity that balances the richness of the oil.
- Dry mustard
- Helps emulsify the oil and vinegar so the dressing holds together.
- Olive oil or salad oil
- Supplies the fat that gives the dressing its body and mouthfeel.
The step that matters
Beat or shake until the oil is fully blended. Oil and vinegar separate on their own. Vigorous beating or shaking breaks the oil into small droplets dispersed in the acid, and mustard helps hold them there. Without enough mixing the dressing will split quickly.
Swap the shallot
The recipe marks shallot as optional. How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (wine, mustard, olive, pepper):
- Tomatofits about as well
- Lettucefits about as well
- Capsicumfits about as well
- Shallotthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against wine, mustard, olive, 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.
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