Why it works: Pepper and vinegar are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 27,814 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
French Salad Dressing
Ingredients
Directions
Make the dressing
Stir the salt and pepper into a large spoonful of oil until the salt dissolves.
Mix in the additional oil and pour over the salad.
Finish and serve
Toss the salad well, then add the vinegar.
Mix thoroughly and serve immediately.
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.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
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.
-
Pepper + vinegartop 14% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together27,814 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Oil
- Carries the seasonings and coats the salad leaves, giving the dressing its body and mouthfeel.
- Vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the flavour and balances the richness of the oil.
- Coarse sea salt
- Seasons the dressing; dissolving it in oil first spreads the salt evenly through the dressing.
The step that matters
Dissolving the salt in the oil first. Salt does not dissolve in oil on its own, so stirring it into a small amount of oil before adding the rest helps it dissolve and spread evenly rather than settling in the bowl.
“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
Chicken Salad623 recipes
Salad Dressing491 recipes
Tomato Salad179 recipes
Cold Slaw160 recipesThe 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.