Why it works: Parsley and pepper match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 2% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 34,122 recipes. Both carry 4'-methylacetophenone, which smells bitter almond. The science ↓
Eggs in Cases
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a moderate oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare the cases
Butter five small china cases well.
Sprinkle chopped ham in the bottom of each case.
Break an egg into each case.
Add the sauce
Mix the grated cheese with the béchamel sauce.
Sprinkle pepper and salt on the eggs.
Add a tablespoon of the sauce on top of each egg.
Bake and serve
Place the china cases in a tin of water, ensuring the water reaches three-quarters up the cases.
Bake in a moderate oven at 350°F (175°C) near the top for 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the cases from the oven.
Place the cases on a dish with decorative paper underneath.
Sprinkle finely chopped parsley on each case.
Serve.
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 + peppertop 2% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together34,122 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
-
Butter + cheesetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together7,962 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-dodecalactone (sweet, creamy).
-
Butter + saucetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together15,338 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Butter + parsleytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together28,563 recipes
Shared aroma: trans-2-hexenal (green, leafy).
-
Ham + cheesetop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together303 recipes
Shared aroma: gamma-nonanolactone (coconut, sweet).
Butter and sauce barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 15,338 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Set to a soft, tender custard that forms the body of each case.
- Butter
- Coats the cases so the eggs release cleanly and the surface browns lightly.
- Béchamel sauce
- Adds moisture and a creamy layer that keeps the eggs tender while baking.
- Grated cheese
- Melts into the sauce, adding savory richness and mild browning on top.
The step that matters
Place the cases in a tin of water. The water bath moderates the heat reaching the eggs, so the whites set gently without becoming rubbery or overcooked. Water should reach about three-quarters up the cases.
Swap the parsley
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (egg, butter, ham, sauce, cheese, pepper):
- Parsleythe original
- Capersfits about as well
- Tarragonfits about as well
- Nutmegfits about as well
Fit is the average pairing score against egg, butter, ham, sauce, cheese, pepper. 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
Macaroni and Cheese102 recipes
Cheese Making50 recipes
Cheese Fritters34 recipes
Cheese Omelette31 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.