Why it works: Pepper and parsley 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 ↓
Veal Croquettes
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the filling
Cook the veal until tender, then chop finely.
Mix the chopped veal with breadcrumbs, beaten eggs, melted butter, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.
Shape and fry
Shape the mixture into small croquettes.
Fry the croquettes in hot oil until golden brown.
Drain on paper towels before serving.
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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Pepper + parsleytop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
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Butter + parsleytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together28,563 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
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Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
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Veal + parsleytop 17% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together4,766 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,4-decadienal (seaweed).
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Veal + peppertop 19% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together10,049 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Veal
- Provides the main body and meaty flavour of the croquettes.
- Breadcrumbs
- Absorb moisture and help bind the mixture so it holds its shape.
- Eggs
- Bind the mixture together and help it set when cooked.
- Butter
- Adds richness and moisture to the filling.
The step that matters
Frying the croquettes in hot oil. If the oil is not hot enough, the croquettes absorb excess oil and turn greasy before the coating browns. Hot oil quickly sets and browns the outside, sealing in moisture.
“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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