Why it works: Pepper and nutmeg match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 7% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 13,015 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Stuffed Cucumbers
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare and stuff
Pare cucumbers; cut in halves; hollow the centers and let stand in cold water for thirty minutes.
To the part scooped out add bread crumbs, pepper, salt and a grating of nutmeg.
Put back in the shell and put small pieces of butter on top.
Bake and serve
Place in a dish with a very little water or stock and simmer about forty minutes or until brown.
For another stuffing, use 1/2 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup nuts, beaten white of one egg, salt and pepper.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Nutmeg | 1 tsp ground (2.2g) | 12 |
| 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.
-
Pepper + nutmegtop 7% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together13,015 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Pepper + vinegartop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,814 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Egg + nutmegtop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together24,744 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
-
Nutmeg + vinegartop 25% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,864 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Egg + vinegartop 33% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together12,922 recipes
Shared aroma: acetic acid (sour, vinegar).
Egg and nutmeg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 24,744 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
- Cucumbers (in the method)
- Form the edible shell that holds the stuffing and softens during simmering.
- Bread crumbs (in the method)
- Absorb moisture and give the stuffing body so it holds together.
- Butter (in the method)
- Adds richness and helps the top brown as it cooks.
- Egg
- Beaten white in the alternate stuffing helps bind and set the filling.
The step that matters
Simmering until brown. Cucumber is mostly water and cooks down quickly, so simmering with only a little liquid can scorch the dish before the top browns. Keep the liquid low and watch the dish closely as it cooks.
Swap the nutmeg
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, pepper, vinegar):
- Tarragonfits better
- Dillfits better
- Parsleyfits better
- Nutmegthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, pepper, vinegar. 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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