Why it works: Celery and cucumber are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,745 recipes. Both carry linalool, which smells floral, citrus. The science ↓
Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
Directions
Make the puree
Boil the sliced cucumbers till tender enough to pass through a wire strainer.
To this puree add the water.
Set the mould
Heat and dissolve a little gelatin with this mixture.
Add the seasonings and turn into a ring mould.
Unmould and serve
When unmoulded, fill the center with cubes of tomato.
Serve with mayonnaise.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Cucumber | 1/2 cup sliced (52g) | 16 |
| Celery | 1 stalk (40g) | 6 |
| Cayenne | 1 tsp (1.8g) | 6 |
| 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.
-
Celery + cucumbertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,745 recipes
Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).
-
Vinegar + cucumbertop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,734 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methylbutyl acetate (fruit).
-
Vinegar + celerytop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together5,627 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Cucumbers
- Form the main body of the salad once cooked, puréed and set.
- Gelatin (in the method)
- Sets the puréed cucumber so it holds its shape when unmoulded.
- Vinegar
- Adds sharp acidity that brightens the mild cucumber flavour.
- Mayonnaise (in the method)
- Adds richness and fat that softens the sharp, cool flavours on the plate.
The step that matters
Dissolving the gelatin. Gelatin must be fully dissolved into the warm mixture to set evenly. Undissolved granules leave a grainy texture and weak spots, and prolonged boiling can reduce its setting strength.
Swap the celery
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (vinegar, cucumber):
- Tarragonfits better
- Dillfits better
- Peppermintfits better
- Celerythe original
Fit is the average pairing score against vinegar, cucumber. 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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