Why it works: Parsley and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Parisian French Dressing
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dressing
Mix ingredients in the order given.
Let stand one hour.
Stir vigorously for five minutes.
Serve
Serve with lettuce, romaine, chicory, or endive.
Use small red and green peppers found in pepper sauce.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 7 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| 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 + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Olive + parsleytop 6% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together9,649 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Olive + oniontop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together29,779 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Onion + parsleytop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together25,843 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
-
Olive + vinegartop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together12,297 recipes
Shared aroma: isoamyl acetate (banana, fruity).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Olive oil
- Provides fat and body, carrying flavor and forming the dressing's smooth texture.
- Vinegar
- Adds the sharp acidity that defines the dressing's tang.
- Powdered sugar
- Adds gentle sweetness that balances the sharpness of the vinegar.
- Bermuda onion
- Contributes pungent aroma and sharp flavor.
- Red peppers
- Add color and a mild pepper flavor to the dressing.
- Green peppers
- Add color and a fresh, vegetal pepper flavor to the dressing.
The step that matters
Stir vigorously for five minutes. Oil and vinegar do not mix on their own. Vigorous stirring breaks the oil into tiny droplets suspended in the acid, forming a temporary emulsion. Insufficient stirring lets the oil separate quickly from the vinegar.
Swap the onion
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (olive, vinegar, sugar, parsley, pepper):
- Capsicumfits better
- Mustardfits better
- Shallotfits better
- Onionthe original
Fit is the average pairing score against olive, vinegar, sugar, parsley, pepper. 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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