Why it works: Parsley and thyme match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 9,057 recipes. Both carry cuminaldehyde, which smells Spicy, cumin. The science ↓
Mutton Pudding
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the basin
Line a two‑quart pudding basin with beef suet paste.
Fill and cover
Fill the lining with thick mutton cutlets or steaks, season with pepper, salt, parsley, thyme, and two slices of onion chopped fine, and between each layer of meat put slices of potato.
When the pudding is filled, wet the edges of the paste around the top of the basin and cover with a piece of paste rolled out the size of the basin.
Fasten down the edge by bearing all around with the thumb; then with thumb and forefinger twist the edges of the paste over to give it a corded appearance.
Cook and serve
Set the pudding in a steamer and steam, or boil it.
Cook for about three hours.
When done, turn it out carefully onto a platter and serve with a rich gravy under it.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Thyme | 1 tsp dried (1.4g) | 4 |
| Parsley | 1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g) | 1 |
| 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.
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.
-
Parsley + thymetop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,057 recipes
Shared aroma: cuminaldehyde (Spicy, cumin).
-
Pepper + parsleytop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Pepper + thymetop 4% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,585 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).
-
Onion + thymetop 7% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,171 recipes
Shared aroma: coumarin (sweet, hay).
-
Onion + parsleytop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,843 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Mutton (in the method)
- Provides the main meat and rich flavour that the pudding is built around.
- Beef suet paste
- Forms the enclosing crust that holds the filling and keeps it moist while steaming.
- Potato (in the method)
- Layered between the meat to add body and starch that helps soak up juices.
- Onion
- Adds savoury aroma and sweetness as it softens during long cooking.
The step that matters
Sealing the paste edges. If the paste is not wetted and firmly pressed together, steam and juices can escape or the lid can separate during the long cooking, leaving the filling dry or the pudding collapsed.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (pepper, parsley, thyme):
- Carrotfits better
- Parsnipfits better
- Shallotfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against pepper, parsley, thyme. 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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