Why it works: Mushroom and sherry are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 1,176 recipes. Both carry 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol, which smells smoky, clove. The science ↓
Roast Fillet
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Roast
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Roast the fillet for 20 minutes per pound, basting frequently.
Season with coarse sea salt and black pepper while roasting.
Once done, remove the fillet from the oven.
Make the mushroom sauce
Add 1 tablespoon of flour to the pan drippings and stir to combine.
Add the sliced mushrooms and ⅓ cup of sherry to the gravy.
Pour the sauce around the meat, sliced into 1-inch thick pieces.
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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Mushroom + sherrytop 5% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,176 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol (smoky, clove).
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Pepper + mushroomtop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together13,580 recipes
Shared aroma: 2-nonenal (fatty, green).
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Meat + mushroomtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together1,423 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-one (mushroom, metallic).
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Pepper + sherrytop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,107 recipes
Shared aroma: piperonal (bitter, coconut).
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Flour + mushroomtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together8,253 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Fillet of meat
- Is the main protein that is roasted and sliced for serving.
- All-purpose flour
- Thickens the pan drippings into a smooth gravy as it cooks.
- Sliced mushrooms
- Add savory flavor and body to the sauce.
- Sherry
- Adds acidity and aroma that deepen the flavor of the gravy.
The step that matters
Add the flour to the pan drippings. Flour must be stirred into the fat and drippings so it cooks and dissolves evenly. Adding it unevenly or too quickly can leave lumps in the gravy.
“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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