Why it works: Oyster and egg are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 14% of all ingredient pairs, and 4,103 recipes mention both. Both carry 2-nonenal, which smells fatty, green. The science ↓
Oyster Soup with Eggs
2 quartsIngredients
Directions
Prepare the broth
Remove bits of shell from the oysters and drain them from their liquor.
Combine the oyster liquor with 1 pint of milk and enough water to make 2 quarts.
Heat the mixture over medium heat, seasoning with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil and remove any scum.
Add the oysters and eggs
In a separate bowl, beat 4 eggs with ½ pint of milk and strain the mixture.
Once the scum is removed, add the oysters and the egg mixture to the soup.
Stir constantly until the soup begins to thicken, but do not let it boil to avoid curdling the eggs.
Serve the soup as soon as it is smooth and scalding hot.
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 aroma chemistry they share, and how many recipes mention both.
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Oyster + eggtop 14% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together4,103 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Milk + eggtop 18% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together88,785 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Oyster + milktop 20% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together2,933 recipes
Shared aroma: (z)-4-heptenal (biscuit, cream).
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Milk + peppertop 22% of all pairsAroma overlapmoderateMentioned together26,984 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl 2-methylbutyrate (fruity, apple).
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Oyster + peppertop 22% of all pairsAroma overlaplowMentioned together7,663 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
- Oysters
- Provide the main flavour and tender texture of the soup.
- Eggs
- Thicken the soup and give it a smooth, creamy body when gently heated.
- Milk
- Adds richness and creaminess, softening the soup's flavour.
The step that matters
Stir constantly and do not let the soup boil after adding the eggs. Egg proteins set when heated, so high heat or boiling can curdle the eggs and leave the soup grainy instead of smooth and thickened. Gentle, constant stirring spreads the heat evenly and keeps the texture silky.
“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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