Why it works: Cabbage and pepper are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 4,081 recipes. Both carry 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine, which smells earthy, pea. The science ↓
Cold Slaw
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the slaw
Chop the cabbage finely, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Make the dressing
Boil together one-half cup vinegar, one-half cup sugar, a tablespoonful of butter, and two well-beaten eggs until the mixture thickens.
Assemble and serve
Pour the thickened sauce over the seasoned cabbage and serve cold.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup chopped (156g) | 55 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| 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.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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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Cabbage + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,081 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (earthy, pea).
-
Vinegar + cabbagetop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,924 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Vinegar + peppertop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,814 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Vinegar + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together20,806 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Sugar + eggtop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together122,807 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cabbage
- Forms the bulk of the slaw and provides its crisp texture.
- Eggs
- Thicken the sauce as they cook, giving it a creamy body.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that sharpens the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Sugar
- Balances the vinegar's sharpness with sweetness.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds richness and fat to the dressing.
The step that matters
Thickening the dressing. Egg proteins set as they heat, so the mixture must be stirred over gentle heat and removed once thickened. Overheating can cause the eggs to scramble and turn grainy.
Swap the cabbage
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (vinegar, sugar, egg, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Mustardfits better
- Cucumberfits better
- Cabbagethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against vinegar, sugar, egg, 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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