Why it works: Pepper and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 27,814 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Mustard Sauce
Ingredients
Directions
Make the sauce
Beat yolks of two eggs.
Mix a glass of acid jelly into them.
Add one teaspoonful black pepper.
Add one tablespoonful of mixed mustard.
Add one tablespoonful butter.
Add one teacupful of vinegar.
Cook, stirring all the time.
Finish
After it becomes cool, add a half teacupful of ketchup.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 4 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
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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Pepper + vinegartop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,814 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Tea + peppertop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together260 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
-
Pepper + buttertop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together85,593 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).
-
Tea + buttertop 21% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together703 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-furfurylthiol (coffee, roasted).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Yolks thicken as they cook, giving the sauce its body and structure.
- Butter
- Adds fat that makes the sauce richer and smoother on the tongue.
- Vinegar
- Supplies sharp acidity that balances the richness of the yolks and butter.
- Mixed mustard
- Adds sharp, pungent flavour that gives the sauce its character.
- Catsup
- Adds sweetness and tang that rounds out the sharpness of the vinegar and mustard.
The step that matters
Cook, stirring all the time. Egg yolks thicken with gentle heat but can curdle or scramble if they get too hot or sit still. Constant stirring spreads the heat evenly so the sauce stays smooth and thickens properly.
“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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