Why it works: Pepper and tarragon match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 5% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 2,399 recipes. Both carry estragole, which smells anise, licorice. The science ↓
Cold Sauces, Salads, Etc
Ingredients
Directions
In a bowl, combine the oil, salt, and pepper.
Pour the mixture over the salad and toss well.
Add the tarragon vinegar and mix thoroughly.
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.
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 + tarragontop 5% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,399 recipes
Shared aroma: estragole (anise, licorice).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Oil
- Carries the flavor and coats the salad leaves, giving a smooth, rich mouthfeel.
- Tarragon vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens the dressing and balances the richness of the oil.
The step that matters
Add the vinegar last and mix thoroughly. Oil and vinegar do not mix on their own, so the dressing separates quickly. Adding the vinegar after the oil and tossing well helps it emulsify into a more even coating before serving.
“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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