Why it works: Bread and milk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 11,466 recipes. Both carry 2-undecenal, which smells sweet. The science ↓
Salmon Loaf
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Make the mixture
In a double boiler, combine the grated bread and milk.
While it cooks, pick over the salmon and mash it with a fork.
Add the mashed salmon to the milk mixture, season with salt and pepper.
Stir in the cream and beaten eggs, then whip for a few minutes.
Bake
Pour the mixture into a buttered pan to mold.
Set the pan in hot water and bake in a moderate oven at 350°F (175°C) until firm.
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.
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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Bread + milktop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together11,466 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-undecenal (sweet).
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Bread + eggtop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together22,662 recipes
Shared aroma: (e)-2-octenal (fatty, green).
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Salmon + creamtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,401 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
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Salmon + eggtop 16% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,485 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
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Milk + salmontop 16% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together1,577 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Bind the mixture and set it firm when baked.
- Bread
- Soaks up milk to give the loaf body and a tender crumb.
- Salmon
- Provides the main flesh and flavor of the loaf.
- Cream
- Adds richness and moisture for a softer texture.
- Milk
- Moistens the bread and keeps the loaf from drying out.
The step that matters
Set the pan in hot water and bake until firm. Baking in a water bath moderates the heat so the egg custard sets gently without curdling or becoming rubbery. Bake until firm, not longer, to keep the loaf moist.
“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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