Why it works: Parsley and tarragon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,563 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Savoubt Omelet
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare the eggs
Beat the eggs in a bowl.
Add the chopped parsley, tarragon, sweet herbs, pepper, and salt.
Cook the omelet
Melt the butter in an omelet pan over medium heat.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan.
Stir the mixture with a fork over a brisk fire.
Shape the omelet into an oval cushion.
Allow the omelet to brown slightly.
Turn the omelet onto an oval dish.
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.
-
Parsley + tarragontop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together1,563 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Parsley + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Tarragon + peppertop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,399 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
-
Parsley + buttertop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together28,563 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Egg + buttertop 17% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together118,967 recipes
Shared aroma: decanal (soap, orange peel).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set into the structure of the omelet as they cook, giving it body and a tender texture.
- Butter
- Adds richness and flavor and helps keep the omelet from sticking while it browns.
- Parsley
- Contributes fresh, green herbal aroma and flavor to the eggs.
- Tarragon
- Adds a distinctive anise-like aroma and flavor to the eggs.
The step that matters
Stirring over a brisk fire. Eggs stirred while still runny form small, soft curds that set into a tender layer. If the heat is too low or stirring stops too early, the eggs can set unevenly, while too much heat without care can make them dry or rubbery.
Swap the tarragon
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, parsley, pepper, butter):
- Tarragonthe original
- Thymefits about as well
- Dillfits about as well
- Nutmegfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, parsley, pepper, butter. 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.
You might also like
The free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Brown Bread461 recipes
Mutton Broth292 recipes
Yorkshire Pudding264 recipes