Why it works: Vinegar and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 33% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 12,922 recipes. Both carry acetic acid, which smells sour, vinegar. The science ↓
Marie Paidar
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dressing
Add three-quarters cup sugar to two slightly beaten eggs, one-half cup vinegar, one-half cup water, tablespoon butter and pinch of salt.
Boil three minutes carefully, then cool.
Adjust the texture
If it is too thick, thin it with sweet or sour cream, quickly made and very good.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 3 of 4 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 3 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | 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.
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.
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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Vinegar + eggtop 33% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together12,922 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Vinegar and egg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 12,922 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
- Eggs
- Thicken the dressing as they cook and add richness and body.
- Sugar (in the method)
- Adds sweetness to balance the sharpness of the vinegar.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity, giving the dressing its sour bite.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds fat for a smoother, rounder mouthfeel.
The step that matters
Boil three minutes carefully. Egg proteins set as they heat, so overheating can make the eggs curdle or scramble. Gentle, watched heat lets the mixture thicken smoothly.
“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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