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Balsamic Vinaigrette I

A simple vinaigrette made with garlic, parsley, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

From the Recipes Wiki (Fandom) · 5 ingredients
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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 ↓

Balsamic Vinaigrette I

Ingredients

Directions

Make the dressing

  1. Combine garlic, parsley, and vinegar.

  2. Whisk in olive oil until smooth.

  3. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve

  1. Serve in small dipping bowls.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

133Calories
0 gProtein
14 gFat
3 gCarbs
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Vinegar1 tbsp (15ml) distilled3
Parsley1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)1
Salt1 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.

Recipe from the Recipes Wiki (Fandom).

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.

  1. Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together34,122 recipes

    Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).

  2. Garlic + olivetop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together25,665 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

  3. Garlic + parsleytop 4% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together9,308 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  4. Parsley + olivetop 6% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together9,649 recipes

    Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).

  5. Garlic + peppertop 8% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together27,090 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Balsamic vinegar
Provides the acidity and sweet, tangy flavour that is the base of the dressing.
Extra virgin olive oil
Adds richness and body, and whisking it in creates a smoother, emulsified texture.
Garlic
Contributes sharp, pungent aroma and flavour.
Parsley
Adds fresh, green aroma and a light herbal note.

The step that matters

Whisk in olive oil until smooth. Oil and vinegar do not mix on their own. Whisking breaks the oil into tiny droplets suspended in the vinegar, which temporarily emulsifies the dressing. Stopping early can leave it separated and greasy.

Swap the parsley

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (garlic, vinegar, olive, pepper):

  1. Basilfits about as well
  2. Rosemaryfits about as well
  3. Thymefits about as well
  4. Parsleythe original

Fit is the average pairing score against garlic, vinegar, 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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